Legal Definitions - copyright legend

A copyright legend, also commonly referred to as a copyright notice, is a brief statement placed on a creative work to inform the public that the work is protected by copyright law. It typically includes the copyright symbol (©), the year the work was first published, and the name of the copyright owner. While copyright protection generally exists from the moment a work is created, a copyright legend serves as a clear public declaration of ownership and can be important in legal proceedings by identifying the copyright holder and the scope of protection.

• Example 1: A Software Application's "About" Screen

  When you open the "About" or "Help" section of a desktop software application, you often see a statement such as: "© 2024 Tech Solutions Inc. All rights reserved." This concise declaration is the copyright legend for the software. It identifies Tech Solutions Inc. as the copyright owner, specifies 2024 as the year of publication or latest significant update, and uses the copyright symbol to clearly indicate that the software's code, design, and associated materials are legally protected intellectual property.

• Example 2: An Academic Journal Article

  At the bottom of the first page of an article published in an academic journal, you might find text like: "Copyright © 2023 University Press. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited." This statement functions as the copyright legend for the journal article. It informs readers that the University Press holds the copyright to the article, indicates the year of publication as 2023, and explicitly warns against unauthorized reproduction, thereby asserting the legal protection over the scholarly content.

• Example 3: A Musical Album Cover

  On the back cover or inside sleeve of a physical music album (CD, vinyl), you will typically see a line such as: "℗ & © 2021 Melody Records. All rights reserved. Unauthorized duplication is a violation of applicable laws." In this context, the "© 2021 Melody Records" part is the copyright legend for the musical compositions and artwork. (The "℗" symbol, for "phonogram," specifically denotes copyright in the sound recording itself.) This legend identifies Melody Records as the copyright owner for the creative elements of the album, states the year of release, and serves as a public notice of their exclusive rights.