What is 'copyright'?

‘Copyright’ protects the intellectual property rights of authors, composers, artists, photographers, film-makers, publishers and other creators. Copyright laws enable such creators to earn a living from their work, and therefore to continue to create work which others can use and enjoy.

The creator of a work will often assign or license their copyright to a publisher, and the publisher will in turn license others to use the created work. The copyright owner has the right to reproduce the created work in printed and other formats, to broadcast it, to record it, to arrange and adapt it, to perform it, and to display it. The copyright owner also has the right to license others to do the same.

The UK Act covering copyright is the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, which may be amended by parliamentary legislation from time to time. Almost all other countries have similar copyright laws.

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