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Public Domain: Duration
This commentary explains how long copyright lasts and what you need to consider when calculating the copyright term of different types of works.
Getting Permission
When you want to use a work that is in copyright, you need to get permission from all copyright owners. Some works have several rights attached to them and each right may have more than one owner…
News Reporting
News reporters may sometimes require the use of copyright material, such as short textual extracts or clips from video footage, to report current events. There is an exception to copyright for news reporting…
COPYRIGHT USER
What you can find on CopyrightUser.org
CopyrightUser.org is an online resource aimed at making UK copyright law accessible to creators, media professionals, entrepreneurs, students, and members of the public. The resources here are meant for everyone who uses copyright: musicians, filmmakers, performers, writers, visual artists and interactive developers, among others.
Our goal is to inform creators about how to protect their work, how to license and exploit it, and how to legally re-use the work of others.
As part of the Horizon 2020 consortium ReCreating Europe, in March 2023 we launched CopyrightUser.EU, which provides accessible and authoritative guidance on EU copyright law.
Disclaimer:
CopyrightUser.org is based in the UK, so the contents here reflect what is permitted under UK copyright legislation. Copyright law is rapidly evolving, and we will make every effort to maintain up-to-date resources on this site. The textual content of the website has been produced by leading copyright academics and is intended to be accurate and authoritative. However, it does not constitute legal advice.
The online resource reflects the updated law current as at 25 May 2023.
Updated 25 May 2023
CREATE
Explore how copyright law shapes and regulates different aspects of the creative process
Going for a Song
Going for a Song tells the story of Tina and Ben, a music composer and a lyricist who create an original song and discuss how to market it.
Copyright Bites
Copyright Bites is a series of short videos that makes copyright law and policy easier to understand, exploring the relationship between copyright and the public domain.
Copyright in SMEs
This section provides guidance on strategies that creative firms have employed to effectively manage copyright challenges.
UNDERSTAND COPYRIGHT
Understand your rights as a creator
Protecting
Copyright is a set of ‘exclusive’ rights, giving creators the right to control the use of their work and the ability to earn from it. The term ‘exclusive’ in copyright law means…
Quotation
There are two exceptions to be aware of, one specifically for criticism and review and a more general exception for quotation. Both exceptions apply to all types of copyright material…
Enforcement
Useful guidance on what you can do if you think someone has infringed your copyright, or if someone has accused you of copyright infringement.
EDUCATE
Resources and tools that enable student-directed learning and enquiry
Myth-Reality Cards
The Copyright Myth-Reality Cards consist of text and illustrations, with a copyright myth on one side and the true status on the other.
The Game is On! – Ep. 1
In a fictional land called London, Sherlock Holmes and John Watson meet a curious client: the toymaker Joseph …
Libraries
This guide is aimed at the wide range of staff working in libraries and information services. Copyright exceptions apply equally to all staff working in libraries including library or information assistants.