Exclusions from Copyright Protection

According to federal law, copyright protection does not extend to the following:

  • Ideas, methods, or systems. Copyright protection is not available for ideas or procedures for doing, making, or building things; scientific or technical methods or discoveries; business operations or procedures; mathematical principles, formulas, or algorithms; or any other concept, process, or method of operation (as distinguished from a description, explanation, or illustration of such). Thus, once an idea is described or expressed, it is protected by copyright. For example, assume you have a brilliant idea for a television game show in which people will answer questions posed by a television personality and can win a million ...

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