How does one get copyright protection?
As a preliminary matter, it is important to remember that copyright protects original works of authorship fixed in a tangible film, and that a work does not become subject to copyright protection through registration. Rather, copyright protection exists in an eligible work from the moment of fixation. That means, the moment you put something in “fixed” form, whether it be by writing it down, recording it, or taking a photo of it, the work has copyright protection. That being said, people often wonder why they need to register? I go into this in detail on my copyright help page, so you can see all the reasons why you should register your copyright there. Accordingly, I won’t bore you with the details here. Suffice to say, you get extra protection, and if you think someone might rip you off, it’s a good idea. Oh, and you need to register before you can sue if someone does rip you off. What does register for online works protect? The copyright registration procedure described here covers
