Public Domain
Certain works are considered to be in the "public domain" and can be used without permission. These include items that are not eligible for copyright protection such as ideas, facts, concepts and principles. The public domain also includes works for which the copyright protection has expired, federal government documents, and works that a copyright owner grants to the public domain. Most of what you see online is protected by copyright law.
Any other use is a violation of U.S. Copyright laws.
- Introduction
- What Copyright Protects
- Exclusive Rights
- Multiple Works - One Application
- Benefits of Copyright Registration
- If You Don't Register
- Copyright, Trademark, or Patent
- Who Can Register
- Work Made for Hire
- Joint Works
- Non U.S. Applicants
- Pseudonyms
- Copyright Notice
- Copyright Deposit or Date Stamp
- Governing Law
- International Protection
- Publication
- Derivative Works
- Changed Work
- Copyright Infringement
- Non-Infringing Use
- Public Domain
- Moral Rights
- Logos
- Names & Phrases
- Recipes
- Cartoons & Comic Strips
- Photographs
