What is the legal protection granted by law to the author of an original work called?

• A. Copyright
• B. Public Domain
• C. Web Notes
• D. Reading List

Answer: (A)

Copyright is the legal protection granted by law to the author of an original work. It gives the creator exclusive rights to reproduce, distribute, perform, display, and create derivative works based on the original. This means others need permission to copy or use the work in most cases, which helps creators earn recognition and potential compensation. The protection applies once the work is fixed in a tangible form, such as a file, a printed page, or a video. Registration is optional but can strengthen legal protection if you ever need to enforce rights in court. Duration typically lasts for the creator’s lifetime plus several decades after death, depending on the country. When copyright expires or a work isn’t eligible for it, the work enters the public domain, and anyone can use it. The other options aren’t forms of legal protection: public domain is the status of a work with no protection, while web notes and reading lists aren’t legal protections.