Copyright is a legal term that provides the creator of an original work exclusive rights to its use and distribution, typically for a limited period of time. This concept originated in England, with the passage of the Licensing of the Press Act in 1662 and the Statute of Anne in 1710. Over the centuries, copyright laws have evolved significantly, with international treaties and conventions such as the Berne Convention and the Universal Copyright Convention standardizing these rights globally. Copyright applies to a wide variety of creative expressions including literary works, music, films, choreography, paintings, software, broadcasts, and designs. It is important to note that copyright protection requires a minimal level of originality and typically expires after a set period of time.
A copyright is a type of intellectual property that gives the creator of an original work, or another right holder, the exclusive and legally secured right to copy, distribute, adapt, display, and perform a creative work, usually for a limited time. The creative work may be in a literary, artistic, educational, or musical form. Copyright is intended to protect the original expression of an idea in the form of a creative work, but not the idea itself. A copyright is subject to limitations based on public interest considerations, such as the fair use doctrine in the United States.
Some jurisdictions require "fixing" copyrighted works in a tangible form. It is often shared among multiple authors, each of whom holds a set of rights to use or license the work, and who are commonly referred to as rights holders.[better source needed] These rights normally include reproduction, control over derivative works, distribution, public performance, and moral rights such as attribution.
Copyrights can be granted by public law and are in that case considered "territorial rights". This means that copyrights granted by the law of a certain state do not extend beyond the territory of that specific jurisdiction. Copyrights of this type vary by country; many countries, and sometimes a large group of countries, have made agreements with other countries on procedures applicable when works "cross" national borders or national rights are inconsistent.
Typically, the public law duration of a copyright expires 50 to 100 years after the creator dies, depending on the jurisdiction. Some countries require certain copyright formalities to establishing copyright, others recognize copyright in any completed work, without a formal registration. When the copyright of a work expires, it enters the public domain.