I haven't registered, but it seems like a good idea. If you ever find yourself in a situation where some one is stealing your content, having it registered definitely helps fight the good fight heh. When it's registered, there is no question who the original creator of the content is.

However, you do not need to register to be covered by copyright law. Currently, once you create your original artwork or write your original article it is covered. Once you purchase some one elses original content, it is also covered. When you buy content from some one else, you are buying the copyright and you are now the only person able to republish that work, legally.

By the way, great article Ryan. I think I'll rip it and throw it on my site

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Glad you like it, SKETCH...if you're going to take it, you might want to check it again as I've cleaned up all of the IPB to vB conversion ugliness

I looked into copyrighting websites a while ago and this was not my understanding. I am working on a website that we are developing original code for, that users create accounts, and that users dump information into a database for storage. (This is not unlike a forum.) As such, I read Circulars 61, 65, and 66 and was unsure whether to file copyright for "computer program," automated database," or the general Form TX for "literary material," or some combination of the 3. I contacted someone at the copyright office to get clarification.

The response I received was that I could register my work as a computer database, computer program, and as an online work. In addition, he told me I could register all of my copyrightable material on one Form TX--that means only one fee. The key is in the "deposit" submitted with the application. The "deposit" is the copy of the material submitted to the copyright office. It can be paper screen shots, printed code, or even better, computer files on a CD. I think that it doesn't matter if you have 2 files on that CD or 800 files on that CD, as long as the content as a whole is submitted and approved under one application for copyright.

The caveat to database registration is that copyright is only good for 3 months at a time. Therefore, to completely protect content that is always changing due to its database nature, you have to file paperwork every 3 months (and pay the $30 fee).

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I got one of my sites copyrighted by putting it all on one CD and then paying the $30 fee. It doesn't matter what all is on the CD. Also, my early bands all recorded CDs and we were told to wait until we got the CD done to get copyrights on the songs because a 3 song demo and 17 song full length CD were both $30. It was cheaper to get everything on 1 CD.

Thanks some very good points.

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Some interesting point here. Has anyone worked with a intellectual property rights attorney or firm for this process? What has your experience been?

I've already had copyright violations by a local newspaper who published my work without credit or authorization. And they basically told me "sue us, you won't get anything from us."

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Sorry to hear that, Samir. Your case illustrates an important point... You may as well take steps to protect yourself. I haven't worked with any intellectual property professionals, yet, but I am learning as much as I can in the meantime. Hopefully, some other admins will share their knowledge!

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If you have had a newspaper steal your content you can sue them. and when they said you wont get anything, they are very wrong. you can sue for damages and stuff. they were just trying to make themselves look good.

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Read this the other day and didn`t get chance to reply .... Good article m8 and very informative for people who don`t know

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Thanks for posting this! Very good indeed

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