!!! Overview [{$pagename}] is a [legal] right created by the [law] of a country that grants the [creator|Authoritative Entity] of an [original work] exclusive rights for its use and distribution. [{$pagename}] is usually only for a limited time. The exclusive [rights] are not absolute but limited by limitations and exceptions to [{$pagename}] law, including fair use and [Work For Hire]. [{$pagename}]s are a form of [Intellectual Property Rights]. A major limitation on copyright is that [{$pagename}] protects only the original expression of ideas, and not the underlying ideas themselves. !! [{$pagename}] [Year] [2] The general rule is that the [year] to include in a copyright notice is the __year of first publication of the work__. First publication is when the work is made available to the public without restriction. This includes selling a book or leaving free copies of it in a public place or posting content on your blog. Publication does not include, for example, circulating copies internally to co-workers. For compilations or [derivative works] which incorporate previously published content, use the year of __first publication__ of the compilation or [derivative work]. New [versions] or editions of works should contain the publication date of the new version or edition. For constantly evolving [websites] and blogs that contain works published over several years, the notice may include a range of years (e.g., 2009–2018), starting from the date of the oldest published elements and ending with the [date] of the newest published elements. !! [{$pagename}] Notice is not mandatory [{$pagename}] notice is __not mandatory__ in most [countries|Country]. Notice is not mandatory in the [United States] or in [Canada]. Specifically, [{$pagename}] is not required in [Berne Copyright Treaty] countries. In these countries, use of the [{$pagename}] notice and symbol is still useful and is a good idea. In these situations, the purpose of the [{$pagename}] notice is to educate others or to remind others that [{$pagename}] exists in your work and to respect that [{$pagename}]. Some __mistakenly__ think that the lack of a [{$pagename}] notice means that the work is in the [Public Domain] or free to use without obtaining permission from the [{$pagename}] holder. !! More Information There might be more information for this subject on one of the following: [{ReferringPagesPlugin before='*' after='\n' }] ---- * [#1] - [Copyright|Wikipedia:Copyright|target='_blank'] - based on information obtained 2017-05-27-