Fraud exists in many forms, and the copyright arena is no exception. Creators, businesses, and members of the public engage online with copyright law, registration systems, and licensing practices. Bad actors sometimes exploit misunderstandings about how copyright works and how the U.S. Copyright Office operates. Scams involving copyright can be convincing, costly, and stressful, but …
By Shira Perlmutter, Register of Copyrights and Director of the U.S. Copyright Office As the year draws to a close, I am pleased to recognize an impressive slate of accomplishments at the U.S. Copyright Office. Despite some challenges, including a lengthy government shutdown, the Office continued to produce high-quality work and reliable service to the …
The early days of motion pictures were a time of experimentation and discovery, not only for pioneers who invented new formats and methods, but also for copyright law and the U.S. Copyright Office, keeping pace with innovative, creative endeavors. A recent discovery has shed light on one of the key facts missing from our understanding …
By Jaylen Johnson, attorney-advisor, and George Thuronyi, deputy director, of the Office of Public Information and Education Today, on our 152nd birthday, the U.S. Copyright Office celebrates a historic milestone: the 40 millionth copyright registration made in the United States! As we acknowledge this monumental achievement, we reflect on the importance of copyright registration and …
They’re flying, buzzing, and crawling everywhere! Washington, DC, neighborhoods around the U.S. Copyright Office are teeming with Brood X cicadas, taking their next steps on a seventeen-year journey. Along the way, they’re also inspiring musicians, photographers, artists, and authors to create copyrighted works. These cicadas belong to a genus called magicicada, whose very name evokes …
We’re geared up this weekend to welcome everyone to learn all about copyright. On Sept. 26 and 27, join the U.S. Copyright Office at the National Book Festival and learn about how copyright empowers todayʼs authors and protects diverse perspectives. We’ll be all-virtual this year, and that means people around the country, and even around …
The following is a guest post by Maria Strong, Acting Register of Copyrights. The U.S. Copyright Office has taken a number of actions to ensure that mission-critical functions continue during the ongoing challenges caused by COVID-19. I commend our staff for maintaining a continued high level of service under these challenging conditions and greatly appreciate …
The following is a guest post by Robert J. Kasunic, Associate Register of Copyrights and director of Registration Policy & Practice. At the beginning of October, the Copyright Office updated our Registration Processing Times and FAQ, found on our registration portal, to reflect significant decreases in the time it takes us to review copyright registration …
The following is a guest post by Jalyce Mangum, attorney-advisor, Office of the General Counsel. Today, the Copyright Office releases a public draft of the latest update to the Compendium of U.S. Copyright Office Practices. As both a technical manual for the Office’s staff, as well as a guidebook for authors, copyright licensees, lawyers, scholars, …
