If you have something of value–whether it’s a product prototype, intellectual work, or simply an idea–you may have wondered how legally secure it is. If you are interested in copyrighting your work(s), this post is for you! If you need to copyright a song, copyright a website, or protect your idea before you register a patent, hopefully this post will answer some questions.First off, copyrights are not required to be filed with any Copyright Office or official location. You don’t need to pay to register your copyrights, either. However, there are some benefits to registering your work with the Library of Congress or the Copyright Office, namely, that you’ll be able to back up your work in court if it came down to it.
Whenever a work is completed and secured in some tangible way–as a recording (for music and spoken word), as a document, or as a web page–it legally belongs to the creator of the work (unless some other arrangement has already been made to transfer ownership elsewhere). According to SmallBusiness.com, copyrights protect “original works of authorship, including literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, and certain other intellectual works.”
If you’re interested in registering a trademark with the United States, check out http://www.uspto.gov/teas/index.html, and you’ll be able to file the application directly online.
More information regarding patents, copyrights, and trademarks can be found at:
- SmallBusiness.com
- United States Copyright Office
- United States Patent and Trademark Office
- Copyright.gov FAQ
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