ART - MS Wheel/AP (Art & Nature)1: Copyright

Copyright: A legal protection given to artists and creators that allows them to have significant control over how their work is copied and distributed. Copyright law gives artists/owners the right to make copies, distribute copies, display or perform the work in public, and make derivatives (for example, making a book into a movie.) 

Copyright Infringement: Infringement means a violation of a law or obligation. Copyright infringement occurs when a person illegally violates someone else’s legal rights to control his or her own creation—for example, illegally distributing or copying books, music, movies, software, etc., without the creator’s permission.

Copyright Limitations:  

1. Not everything gets copyright protected.  Facts and ideas, non-creative lists, and US Government documents can not be copyrighted.  Everyone is free to use those. 
2. Fair use is an important part of copyright that allows limited use of copyrighted work without permission for purposes such as commentary, criticism, parody, teaching, and works that are "transformative".  Fair use promotes creativity and innovation.
3. Lastly, copyright expires.  All copyrighted works eventually fall into the public domain where they are free for everyone to use.

Public Domain: All the creative work that is not currently subject to copyright protection. This 1 includes works for which the copyright has expired and works for which copyright never applied in the first place, such as US government documents. Creative works in the public domain are free for everyone to use.

Copyright includes several protections given to creators.  When you create something, you get to decide who can:

1.  Make copies (photocopy or digital copies) of your work,

2.  Distribute copies (give away or sell),

3.  Display or perform the work in public (art gallery or on a website),

4.  Make derivatives (make a book into a movie or sequels).