Copyright?

Protection

What sorts of things does copyright protect?

Copyright protects lots of different types of works. For example:

Images

paintings, photographs, maps, graphics, cartoons, charts, diagrams and illustrations

Text

novels, textbooks, poems, song lyrics, newspaper articles, computer software, computer games and directories

Music

melodies, song music, advertising jingles, film scores and podcasts

Dramatic works

plays, screenplays and choreography

Films and moving images

feature films, short films, documentaries, television programs, interactive games, television advertisements, music videos and vodcasts

Sound recordings

MP3 files, CDs, DVDs, vinyl and tape recordings.

For how long?

Copyright in images, text, songs and plays lasts from the time the work is created until 70 years after the creator has died. Copyright in films, CDs and MP3s generally lasts for 70 years from the date the work is released.

Once copyright expires, the work is in the public domain. This means that anyone can copy it without having to first obtain permission.

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