The United States copyright law protects “original works of authorship,” fixed in a tangible medium including literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, and other intellectual works. This protection is available to both published and unpublished works.
Copyright- the exclusive legal right, given to an originator or an assignee to print, publish, perform, film, or record literary, artistic, or musical material, and to authorize others to do the same.
Trademark- a symbol, word, or words legally registered or established by use as representing a company or product. A trademark is a type of intellectual property consisting of a recognizable sign, design, or expression which identifies products or services of a particular source from those of others
Creative Commons- an American non-profit organization devoted to expanding the range of creative works available for others to build upon legally and to share. The organization has released several copyright-licenses, known as Creative Commons licenses, free of charge to the public.
Fair Use- a doctrine in the law of the United States that permits limited use of copyrighted material without having to first acquire permission from the copyright holder.
Public Domain- creative materials that are not protected by intellectual property laws such as copyright, trademark, or patent laws. The public owns these works, not an individual author or artist.
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