What is a Copyright Warning?

A copyright warning is a statement that lets the user of a particular piece of intellectual property know who owns the property, how the property may or may not be used, and when and how misuse or theft of the property results in punishment. Generally, intellectual properties can include anything a person or company creates and publicly sells or otherwise distributes. Using a copyright warning is always beneficial, but whether it’s required depends on the copyright laws of the region’s government. Many governments provide public access to information about copyright laws and warnings, and such information can help a person write a copyright warning. Still, it’s best for anyone without prior experience writing such warnings to consult a skilled attorney.

In the simplest terms, nearly everything a person creates and publicly distributes or sells is known as intellectual property and can be copyrighted. The most common types of intellectual property include movies and other films, music, written materials, photos and other artwork. In this age of technology, people who own properties associated with computers, the Internet, and other technological gadgets also deal with copyright laws and warnings. These kinds of properties might include everything from websites created by individuals to computer software developed by major corporations. A person can check with the copyright laws of the government in the region where the property will be distributed to find out which items are considered intellectual property and how those properties are covered.

A simple copyright statement includes information about who owns the intellectual property and when that property was copyrighted. More detailed statements go on to include actual warnings. These warnings let users of the property know when and how they can use it and which kinds of uses require written permission from the owner. More detailed warnings will include information about the particular government laws protecting the property. A statement that includes information about the government’s copyright laws generally also includes information about punishments associated with breaking those laws.

Depending on the government’s copyright laws, a copyright notice may or may not be required. Some governments may require copyright warnings for all intellectual properties, and some governments may not require copyright warnings at all. Under some governments, copyright notices might be required for intellectual properties created and distributed before a certain time period and not required for properties created and distributed after that time period. Although most copyrighted materials are protected as soon as they’re created, having the safeguard of a formal copyright warning is beneficial even when it isn’t required.

The steps necessary to write a copyright warning and properly display it depend on the intellectual property itself. In some cases, such as photography and other artwork, a simple, one- or two-sentence copyright disclaimer is sufficient. Other properties, such as videos, written materials, software, and inventions, may require more in-depth copyright disclaimers. Some companies have employees in place who are trained to write copyright warnings. Reading about a government’s copyright laws can be helpful, but if the owner of a piece of intellectual property is unsure how to write the warning, he can request legal assistance.