Copyright grants creators exclusive rights to control how their original works are used. In the United States, the Copyright Act of 1976 protects these rights, ensuring creators benefit from their work and manage its use. Both creators and users need to understand these rights. Below we’ll answer “What are the Exclusive Rights of Copyright in the USA?”
The Six Exclusive Rights of Copyright
In the U.S., copyright law gives owners six exclusive rights, applicable to various creative works such as literature, music, film, and art. Here’s a breakdown of these rights:
- The Right to Reproduce the Work: This fundamental right allows copyright holders to make copies of their work in any format. For example, an author can print copies of their book, and a musician can create recordings of their songs. Others cannot reproduce the work without permission.
- The Right to Prepare Derivative Works: This right lets copyright holders create adaptations or transformations of the original work, such as turning a novel into a screenplay or remixing a song. Only the copyright holder can authorize derivative works.
- The Right to Distribute Copies of the Work: This right controls how the work is distributed to the public. It includes selling, leasing, renting, or transferring ownership of copies. For instance, a photographer can sell prints of their photos, and a filmmaker controls movie distribution. It also applies to digital copies distributed online.
- The Right to Publicly Perform the Work: This right allows copyright holders to control public performances of their work, relevant for music, theater, and other performing arts. A songwriter, for example, can authorize performances of their song at concerts or online streams.
- The Right to Publicly Display the Work: This right grants control over how the work is shown to the public, crucial for visual artists and photographers. A painter, for example, controls where their artwork is displayed, whether in galleries or online.
- The Right to Perform the Work Publicly by Digital Audio Transmission: Specific to sound recordings, this right controls digital transmissions like music streaming. It ensures copyright holders receive compensation for their recordings played over digital networks.
Limitations and Exceptions to Copyright
Copyright has limitations and exceptions. Fair use allows limited use of copyrighted material for criticism, commentary, news reporting, education, and research without permission. The first sale doctrine permits resale of legally purchased copies, and compulsory licenses apply in cases like cover songs.
Conclusion
We hope we’ve answered the question what are the exclusive rights of copyright in the USA. U.S. copyright law protects creators by giving them control over their works. These rights support creativity by ensuring creators benefit from and manage their intellectual property. Understanding these rights is crucial for both creators and users to navigate copyright law and support a vibrant creative economy.
