Saturday, March 8, 2008

Copyright Protects the Little Guy, Too

The International Trademark Association (INTA) is partnering with the Copyright Society of the USA (CSUSA) to draw attention to the concept and importance of copyright protections during Copyright Awareness Week, which runs March 10 –14.

Copyright Awareness Week is a public education program that highlights the role of copyrights in society's music, literature, art and film.

As a type of intellectual property law, copyright protects original works of authorship including literary, dramatic, musical and artistic works, such as poetry, novels, movies, songs, computer software and architecture. The copyright protection is granted to all works, both published and unpublished.

Copyright is a critical component of the intellectual property law family, and the protection applies to all works, great and small. Educating consumers about the importance of copyright helps protect the artistic contributions that add depth and meaning to our culture.

Trademark and copyright law are related because each statute seeks to protect an original and recognizable work. The distinction between the two is that copyright protects music, art and literature, where trademarks safeguard words, phrases, symbols, or designs identifying the source of the goods or services of one brand from another.

For additional information about copyright law or Copyright Awareness Week 2008, please visit http://www.copyright.gov/ and http://www.csusa.org/.

To learn more about the importance of trademarks, visit http://www.inta.org/media/center

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