Copyrights

In order to remind the community and bring some clarity regarding intellectual property, I would like to share with you some main topics regarding copyrights.

Please be kindly advised that I am an author which is well written in my LinkedIn profile and the content posted on my account in my articles and in some rare cases in a post is a form of literature like but not limited to excerpts or entire poems, short stories, novels, essays, feuilletons, nonfiction, and more.

• BG copyrights (as I am a Bulgarian citizen):

Copyright in Bulgaria is subject to the protection of the Copyright and Associated Rights Act. The latter protects any work of literature, art, or science, which resulted from the creative activity of its author and is expressed in an objectively perceivable manner and form. The copyright comes into existence from the moment of creation of the work—no registration is needed. In the general case, the copyright lasts for 70 years following the announcement of the work. The law also protects the associated rights of performers, producers of audio and visual work, and broadcasting organizations. Those rights are protected for 50 years.

• According to EU legislation -

Copyright protection grants you the following exclusive rights:

- economic rights – guaranteeing you have control over your work and remuneration for its use through selling or licensing

- moral rights – usually protecting your rights to claim authorship (right of attribution) and to refuse a modification of your work (right of integrity)

- If you create literary, scientific, and artistic work, you automatically have copyright protection, which starts from the moment you create your work, so you don't need to go through any formal application process.

- Even if you can use the content, idea, or theory according to the limits you are still obliged to maintain the moral rights of the author and you have to mention the source.

• Copyrights according to USA legislation-

- The copyrights according to USA legislation - https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/17/102

LII U.S. Code Title 17 CHAPTER 1 § 102

17 U.S. Code § 102 - Subject matter of copyright: In general

U.S. Code

(a)Copyright protection subsists, in accordance with this title, in original works of authorship fixed in any tangible medium of expression, now known or later developed, from which they can be perceived, reproduced, or otherwise communicated, either directly or with the aid of a machine or device. Works of authorship include the following categories:

(1)literary works;

(2)musical works, including any accompanying words;

(3)dramatic works, including any accompanying music;

(4)pantomimes and choreographic works;

(5)pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works;

(6)motion pictures and other audiovisual works;

(7)sound recordings; and

(8)architectural works.

- Limits according to USA legislation-?

(https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copyright_law_of_the_United_State)https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/17/chapter-1

§ 107. Limitations on exclusive rights: Fair use

§ 108. Limitations on exclusive rights: Reproduction by libraries and archives

§ 109. Limitations on exclusive rights: Effect of transfer of particular copy or phonorecord

§ 110. Limitations on exclusive rights: Exemption of certain performances and displays

§ 111. Limitations on exclusive rights: Secondary transmissions of broadcast programming by cable

§ 112. Limitations on exclusive rights: Ephemeral recordings

- Even if you can use the content, idea, or theory according to the limits you are still obliged to maintain the moral rights of the author and you have to mention the source. - https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/17/106

- Also: https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/17/106A?

subject to the limitations set forth in section 113(d), shall have the right—

(A)to prevent any intentional distortion, mutilation, or other modification of that work that would be prejudicial to his or her honor or reputation, and any intentional distortion, mutilation, or modification of that work is a violation of that right, and

(B)to prevent any destruction of a work of recognized stature, and any intentional or grossly negligent destruction of that work is a violation of that right.

• Use of copyright symbol is removed in USA, EU, and Bulgaria -

In the United States, the?Berne Convention Implementation Act of 1988 , effective March 1, 1989, removed the requirement for the copyright symbol from?U.S. copyright law , but its presence or absence is legally significant on works published before that date, and it continues to affect remedies available to a copyright holder whose work is infringed.

This article doesn't pretend to be professional law advice.

Its target is to remind the rights of the authors and to prevent breaking their (including mine) commercial and moral rights.