How do you copyright something?

Answer 1

Also, another tip from the copyrighting industry, is to c your name at the bottom, and then seal up the dated item in an envelope and mail it to yourself. Store the sealed document for your proof, since it's legally dated by the federal government on the stamp they use when things are mailed. This way, no one can claim that they did it first. The sealed envelope will hold up in a court of law, also.

Hope this helps!

Answer 2

The way in which copyright protection is secured is frequently misunderstood. No publication or registration or other action in the Copyright Office is required to secure copyright. There are, however, certain definite advantages to registration.

Copyright is secured automatically when the work is created, and a work is "created" when it is fixed in a copy or phonorecord for the first time. "Copies" are material objects from which a work can be read or visually perceived either directly or with the aid of a machine or device, such as books, manuscripts, sheet music, film, videotape, or microfilm. "Phonorecords" are material objects embodying fixations of sounds (excluding, by statutory definition, motion picture soundtracks), such as cassette tapes, CDs, or LPs. Thus, for example, a song (the "work") can be fixed in sheet music ("copies") or in phonograph disks ("phonorecords"), or both.

If a work is prepared over a period of time, the part of the work that is fixed on a particular date constitutes the created work as of that date.

Here are more opinions and answers from other FAQ Farmers:

* To a large extent this depends on the laws of the country you live in. Copyrighting something is just a way of you asserting that you came up with an idea first. The simplest way to do this is to post a copy to yourself. The envelope will bear a postmark, which will bear up in court as the date you invented/wrote something, so long as the envelope is still sealed. However, it's better to try the Patent Office. There, for a small fee, you can patent inventions, and anyone coming up with a similar idea can then realize straight away that they are in breach of copyright.

* Posting or mailing a copy of something to yourself is NOT an effective way to protect your IP (Intellectual Property). And only rarely would such a method ever hold up in court. File an application with the US Copyright Office (See link to the right.) Find out what category your IP falls under - and not all things are eligible for copyright protection (ideas and song, story, or book titles among other things), check the regs for this too - so you can figure out which application form you will need to fill out and send in; this is not necessarily as easy as it may sound, believe me. Then, fill out the form and submit it, being careful to follow the instructions precisely. Fees vary so check with the Copyright Office for current prices. Be prepared to wait for verification that your copyright has been approved and filed. ''Sometimes'' this can take months depending on how busy the office is at any given time. A patent is not the same thing as a copyright as the previous answer seems to imply. Patents and copyrights do not protect the same things. Nor do trademarks. And sometimes a combination of copyright and trademark protection may be necessary to more fully protect your IP. If you are not familiar with the terms copyright, trademark, patent, service mark, visit the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and the Copyright Office's websites and read up on the differences. This is important. Keep in mind that copyright protection isn't what it used to be thanks to the internet, file-sharing and widespread ignorance or disregard of the laws pertaining to IP. Patents are a little easier to protect because patents apply to inventions which are more tangible than songs, poems, stories, logos, etc. And having a copyright on file does not mean you can't lose a court case over ownership of and right to use IP, but it certainly gives you an edge and added protection.

Answer 3

Simply make a c inside a circle, and the date after, and it's copyrighted. To ensure it won't be questioned in a legal setting, get it notarized at the time.
That's my two cents for ya.