Notice of Copyright

Until March 1, 1989, notice of copyright was required as a condition of protection. The use of a copyright notice is no longer required under U.S. law. However, a notice is recommended because it informs the public that the work is protected by copyright, identifies the copyright owner, and provides the year the work was first published. Moreover, in the event that a work is infringed, if a proper notice of copyright appears on a published copy of the work to which a defendant had access, the defendant cannot assert that he or she was an innocent infringer. Typically, one who is an innocent infringer (meaning one who did not realize the work was protected) can mitigate actual or statutory damages.

The use of the copyright ...

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