COMPENDIUM Chapter 1000 Websites and Website Content · 1002.4 Hypertext Markup Language (HTML)...

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C O M P E N D I U M : Chapter1000

WebsitesandWebsiteContent Contents

1001 WhatThisChapterCovers.................................................................................................................................................4

1002 Definitions.................................................................................................................................................................................4

1002.1 Website......................................................................................................................................................................................4

1002.2 WebsiteContent.....................................................................................................................................................................5

1002.3 Hypertext...................................................................................................................................................................................5

1002.4 HypertextMarkupLanguage(HTML)..........................................................................................................................5

1002.5 CascadingStyleSheets.........................................................................................................................................................6

1002.6 Databases..................................................................................................................................................................................6

1003 IdentifyingtheAuthorsofaWebsite............................................................................................................................7

1003.1 DistinguishingBetweenIndividualAuthors,JointAuthors,andWorksMadeforHire..........................7

1003.2 DistinguishingBetweenAuthorshipand/orOwnershipWhentheOwnerofaWebsiteHiresaThirdPartytoCreateContentforThatSite.....................................................................7

1003.3 CopyrightableContentContainedinorAddedtoaWebsite..............................................................................8

1003.4 UserGeneratedContent(UGC)........................................................................................................................................8

1004 IdentifyingtheOwnerofWebsiteContent.................................................................................................................9

1005 TransferofOwnershipbyTermsofService...........................................................................................................10

1006 CopyrightableSubjectMatter........................................................................................................................................10

1006.1 LiteraryWorks.....................................................................................................................................................................11

1006.1(A) HTMLCode............................................................................................................................................................................12

1006.1(B) Databases...............................................................................................................................................................................13

1006.2 VisualArtWorks.................................................................................................................................................................13

1006.3 WorksofthePerformingArts..................................................................................................................................1413

1006.4 CompilationAuthorship..................................................................................................................................................14

1007 UncopyrightableMaterial..........................................................................................................................................1514

1007.1 IdeasforWebsites,WebsiteOperation,orWebsiteStructure.......................................................................15

1007.2 DomainNamesandURLs................................................................................................................................................15

1007.3 HypertextLinks..............................................................................................................................................................1615

1007.4 LayoutandFormat.............................................................................................................................................................16

This redline compares the Compendium (Third) released December 22, 2014, and the Compendium (Third) released September 29, 2017.

C O M P E N D I U M O F U . S . C O P Y R I G H T O F F I C E P R A C T I C E S , Third Edition

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1008 RegistrationIssues.............................................................................................................................................................17

1008.1 TheScopeofaRegistrationforWebsiteContent.................................................................................................17

1008.2 UnclaimableMaterialMustBeExcludedfromtheClaim..................................................................................17

1008.3 PublicationIssues...............................................................................................................................................................18

1008.3(A) WhatConstitutesPublication?......................................................................................................................................18

1008.3(B) ReproductionandDistributionDistinguishedfromPerformanceandDisplay......................................19

1008.3(C) TheAuthorizationRequirement..................................................................................................................................20

1008.3(D) ImpliedNonexclusiveLicenseorAuthorization...................................................................................................21

1008.3(E) IntermediateorBufferCopiesMadeintheCourseofStreaming..................................................................22

1008.3(F) DeterminingthePublicationStatusofaWorkMadeAvailableOnlyOnline............................................23

1008.4 IdentifyingtheWork(s)ThatMayBeIncludedintheClaim...........................................................................24

1008.5 IdentifyingtheSpecificVersionThatMayBeIncludedintheClaim...........................................................25

1008.6 DistinguishingBetweenPublishedandUnpublishedContent.......................................................................26

1008.6(A) PublishedWebsiteContent............................................................................................................................................26

1008.6(B) UnpublishedWebsiteContent......................................................................................................................................27

1008.7 StatutoryDamages.............................................................................................................................................................27

1009 ApplicationTipsforWebsitesandWebsiteContent...........................................................................................28

1009.1 TypeofWork........................................................................................................................................................................28

1009.2 TitleofThisWork...............................................................................................................................................................29

1009.3 YearofCompletion.............................................................................................................................................................30

1009.4 DateandNationofFirstPublication..........................................................................................................................31

1009.4(A) DateofPublication.............................................................................................................................................................32

1009.4(A)(1) DateofFirstPublicationfortheOriginalVersionofaWork...........................................................................33

1009.4(A)(2) DateofFirstPublicationforSubsequentVersionsofaWork.........................................................................33

1009.4(A)(3) ContentPublishedOnlineandinHardCopyForm..............................................................................................34

1009.4(B) NationofFirstPublication..............................................................................................................................................34

1009.5 NameofAuthor...................................................................................................................................................................34

1009.6 AuthorCreated/NatureofAuthorshipStatements...........................................................................................35

1009.6(A) AcceptableTerminologyforanApplicationtoRegisteraWebsiteorWebsiteContent....................36

1009.6(B) UnclearTerminologyforanApplicationtoRegisterWebsiteContent.......................................................37

1009.6(C) UnacceptableTerminologyforanApplicationtoRegisteraWebsiteorWebsiteContent................38



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1009.7 Claimant..................................................................................................................................................................................38

1009.8 LimitationofClaim.............................................................................................................................................................39

1010 DepositRequirementsforWebsiteContent...........................................................................................................41

1010.1 DepositRequirementsforRegistration....................................................................................................................41

1010.2 DepositRequirementsforWorksPublishedOnlineandinHardCopyFormat......................................43

1010.3 DepositRequirementsforUnpublishedWorksandWorksPublishedSolelyOnline...........................43

1010.4 UploadingLargeFilesorLargeNumbersofFilestotheElectronicRegistrationSystem..................45

1010.5 TheDepositMaterialMustMatchtheMaterialClaimedintheApplication.............................................45

1010.6 DepositRequirementsforSpecificTypesofWebsiteContent.......................................................................46

1010.6(A) TheInitialVersionofaPublishedWebsite.............................................................................................................46

1010.6(B) SubsequentVersionsofaPublishedWebsite........................................................................................................46

1010.6(C) RevisedWebsiteContent................................................................................................................................................46

1010.6(D) Compilations....................................................................................................................................................................4746

1010.6(E) HTMLCode............................................................................................................................................................................47

1010.6(F) ComputerProgramsContainedorEmbeddedWithinaWebsite..................................................................47

1010.6(G) DatabasesContainedorEmbeddedWithinaWebsite.......................................................................................47

1010.6(H) ElectronicSerials................................................................................................................................................................47

1010.7 MandatoryDeposit........................................................................................................................................................4847

1010.8 SpecialRelieffromtheDepositRequirements......................................................................................................48


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C O M P E N D I U M : Chapter1000

WebsitesandWebsiteContent 1001 What This Chapter Covers

ThisChapterdiscussestheU.S.CopyrightOffice’spoliciesandproceduresfortheexaminationandregistrationofcopyrightablecontentcontainedonwebsites.

• Forageneraloverviewoftheregistrationprocess,seeChapter200.

• Forageneraldiscussionofcopyrightableauthorship,seeChapter300.

• Foradiscussionofwhomayfileanapplication,seeChapter400.

• Forguidanceinidentifyingtheworkthattheapplicantintendstoregister,seeChapter500.

• Forguidanceincompletingthefields/spacesofabasicapplication,seeChapter600.

• Forguidanceonthefilingfee,seeChapter1400.

• Forguidanceonsubmittingthedepositcopy,seeChapter1500.

Forguidanceconcerningthepracticesandproceduresrelatingtospecifictypesofworks,seethefollowingchapters:

• Foradiscussionofliteraryworks,seeChapter700.

• Foradiscussionofworksoftheperformingarts,seeChapter800.

• Foradiscussionofvisualartworks,seeChapter900.

1002 Definitions

ThisSectionprovidesabriefdefinitionformanyofthetermsthatareusedthroughoutthisChapter.

1002.1 Website

Forpurposesofcopyrightregistration,theU.S.CopyrightOfficedefinestheregistrablecontentofa“website”asawebpageorsetofinterconnectedwebpages,includingahomepage,locatedonthesamecomputerorserver(i.e.,fixedtogetheronthatcomputerorserver),andpreparedandmaintainedasacollectionofinformationbyaperson,group,ororganization.

Membersofthepublicaccesstheinformationandotherworksonawebsitebyusingauniformresourcelocator(“URL”)thatisorganizedunderaparticulardomainname.EachURLaddressorfile-pathleadstoadistinctwebpageorfileresource.Whenthe



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useropensawebpagewithabrowserapplication,theuser’scomputerretrievesdatafromtheURLandthebrowserassembles,coordinates,andarrangesthedataforpresentationasascreendisplaybasedonasetoflayoutinstructionsfromthehypertextmarkuplanguage(“HTML”),stylesheet,orothermarkuplanguageforthatpage.TheactualcontentofthewebsitemaybeembeddedintheHTMLcodeormaybecontainedinafileretrievedbythemarkuplanguage.

Akeyelementofawebsiteisthattheusercanbrowsethroughthecontentonthesitebyscrollingthrougheachwebpage,byusinginternalhypertextlinks,orbyusingasearchfeature.Thisisincontrasttoadatabase,whichdoesnotdisclosetheunderlyingcontenttotheuserbutinsteadrequiresasearchquerytofindandaccessparticularinformationcontainedwithinthedatabasethatmatchestheparametersofeachquery.

1002.2 Website Content

Forpurposesofcopyrightregistration,“websitecontent”ismaterialthatisperceptibletotheusersofaparticularwebsite.Thismayincludeliteraryortextualworks(suchasnewsarticlesorliterature)thatarevisiblydisplayedonawebsite,worksoftheperformingarts(suchasmusic,soundrecordings,motionpictures,otheraudiovisualworksandcomputergames)thataredisplayedorperformedonawebsite,andtwo-dimensionalvisualartworks(suchasdrawings,photographs,orillustrations)thataredisplayedonawebsite.

Aworkthatisperceptibletotheuseronlybydownloadingorseparatelypurchasingthatparticularworkisnotconsideredpartofthewebsiteforregistrationpurposesandmustberegisteredseparately.Likewise,externallylinkedcontent(i.e.,contentresidingonanotherwebsiteoranotherserver)isnotconsideredpartofthewebsite’scontentforregistrationpurposes.

1002.3 Hypertext

Hypertextconsistsoftextorgraphicsdisplayedonawebpagethatallowtheusertolinktoothercontentorwebpages.Asageneralrule,theselinksaredynamicaddressesthatredirecttheusertoaparticularpartofthesamepage(inthemannerofabookmark),anotherpagewithinthewebsite(i.e.,aninternallink),oranexternalwebsite(i.e.,anexternallink).Insomecases,theexternallinkmaybean“inline”linkthatpresentstheexternalcontentwithinaframeonthelinkingsite(i.e.,“framing”thecontent).

1002.4 Hypertext Markup Language (HTML)

Hypertextmarkuplanguage(“HTML”)isthestandardmarkuplanguageusedinthedesignofwebsites.HTMLestablishestheformatandlayoutoftextandgraphicswhenauserviewsawebsitebyinstructingtheuser’sbrowsertopresentmaterialinaspecifiedmanner.HTMLmaybehand-coded,butitisoftengeneratedbywebdesignsoftwareprograms.Forregistrationpurposes,HTMLcodeisnotconsideredacomputerprogram.

Foradefinitionanddiscussionofcomputerprograms,seeChapter700,Section721.



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1002.5 Cascading Style Sheets

CascadingStyleSheets(“CSS”)areamethodofpresentingstructureddocuments.Theyareusedtoformatandlayouttheorganizationandauniformpresentationofwebpageswritteninamarkuplanguage,suchasHTML.

1002.6 Databases

Forpurposesofcopyrightregistration,theU.S.CopyrightOfficedefinesa“database”asacompilationofdigitalinformationcomprisedofdata,information,abstracts,images,maps,music,soundrecordings,video,otherdigitizedmaterial,orreferencestoaparticularsubjectorsubjects.Inallcases,thecontentofadatabasemustbearrangedinasystematicmanneranditmustbeaccessedsolelybymeansofanintegratedinformationretrievalprogramorsystemwiththefollowingcharacteristics:

• Aqueryfunctionmustbeusedtoaccessthecontent.

• Theinformationretrievalprogramorsystemmustyieldasubsetofthecontentoritmustorganizethecontentbasedontheparametersspecifiedineachquery.

Inotherwords,adatabasegenerallyconsistsoftwofundamentalelements:(i)adatasetormultipledatasets,and(ii)aninformationretrievalprogramorsystemthatservesasthesoleentrypointintotheunderlyingdata,information,orfiles.Typically,thepartythatcreatedtheinformationretrievalprogramorsystemisnotthesamepartythatcreatedthecopyrightablecontentcontainedwithinthedatabase.Anapplicationtoregisteradatabasetypicallycoverstheselection,coordination,and/orarrangementofthedata,information,orfiles,butdoesnotcoverthedata,information,orfilesunlesstheyarespecificallyclaimedintheapplication.

Websitesmaycontaindatabases,buttheyarenotconsidereddatabasesforthepurposeofcopyrightregistration.Generally,usersmayaccessallthecontentonawebsitebybrowsingthroughthepagesofthewebsiteoritshierarchicalstructure.Bycontrast,usersgenerallycannotaccessthecontentofadatabaseinitsentirety.Instead,usersretrievespecificdata,datasets,orothercontentfromthedatabasebyusingaqueryfunctionthatfetchescontentthatmeetstheparticularcriteriaprovidedbytheuser.Whereasthecontentofawebsiteiswhollydisplayedonline,thedatacontainedwithinadatabaseisdisplayedonlytotheextentthatitmatchesaparticularquerythataspecificuserentersintotheinformationretrievalsystem.Notallsearchfunctionsqualifyasinformationretrievalprogramsorsystems.Forinstance,awebsitemayprovideasearchfeaturetoassistusersinlocatingparticularinformationonthesite,butthisdoesnottransformthewebsiteintoadatabasebecausethesearchfeatureisnotthesoleentrypointforaccessingtheunderlyingdataorfiles.

Foradditionalinformationconcerningdatabases,seeChapter700,Section727.



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1003 Identifying the Authors of a Website

1003.1 Distinguishing Between Individual Authors, Joint Authors, and Works Made for Hire

Websitesoftencontainmultipletypesofcopyrightablecontent,includingliteraryworks,visualartworks,andperformingartsworks.Theauthorsofthecontentmayincludevisualartists,webdesigners,bloggers,coders,musicians,singersongwriters,amongothers.Theseauthorsmaybeindividualcontributorstothewebsite,multipleauthorswhocontributedtoagroupproject,oremployeesofacompany.

Whenanindividualcreatesaworkofauthorship,generallyheorsheisconsideredtheauthorofthatwork.Iftwoormoreindividualscreateawork,theyareconsideredjointauthorsandtheworkisconsideredajointwork.See17U.S.C.§101(definitionof“jointwork”).Whenanindividualcreatesaworkduringthecourseofhisorheremployment,thatindividualisnotconsideredtheauthor;theemployerisconsideredtheauthorandtheworkisconsideredaworkmadeforhire.See17U.S.C.§101workmadeforhire.Seeid.(definitionof“workmadeforhire”).

Foradefinitionanddetaileddiscussionofjointworksandworksmadeforhire,seeChapter500,Sections505and506.

1003.2 Distinguishing Between Authorship and / or Ownership When the Owner of a Website Hires a Third Party to Create Content for That Site

Whenanemployeeofabusinessorotherorganizationdesignsorcreatescontentfortheemployer’swebsitewhileactingwithinthescopeofhisorheremployment,theemployee’scontributionisconsideredaworkmadeforhire.Insuchcases,theemployerisconsideredtheauthorandthecopyrightownerofthewebsiteandthecopyrightablecontentcreatedbytheemployee.

Inmanycases,anindividual,organization,orcompanywillhireanotherindividualorentitytocreateawebsite.Insuchcases,thehiredindividualorentityisconsideredanindependentcontractorandanyauthorshipcreatedbytheindependentcontractorisauthoredandownedbythatindividualorentity.Thisisthecaseevenifthehiringpartypaidtheindependentcontractortocreatethewebsite,muchlikeabrideandgroomthathiredaphotographertotakepicturesphotosattheirwedding.Insuchcases,thephotographerisconsideredtheauthorandtheownerofthecopyrightinthephotographsphotos,eventhoughthebrideandgroompaidthephotographerforhisorhertimeandpurchasedcopiesofthephotographsphotos.Likewise,theauthorandownerofthecopyrightinawebsitemaybedistinctfromtheownerofthetangiblecopiesofthatwebsitecontent,notwithstandingthefactthatthehiringpartypurchasedthosecopiesorpaidforthewebdesigner’sservices.

Insuchcases,theindependentcontractoralwaysremainstheauthoroftheworkcreated.Thatindividualorentitymaytransferownershipoftheexclusiverightscomprisingthecopyrightonlybymeansofasigned,writtenagreementthattransfersorexclusivelylicensesthoserightstoanotherparty.



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Example:

• WendyGenoaisawebsitedesignerwhoworksasanindependentcontractor.ValMillerhiredWendytocreateawebsiteforhissmallbusiness.Wendycreatedthecopyrightablebackgrounds,banners,andothergraphicsforthewebsite,aswellastheselection,coordination,andarrangementofthepagesofthesite.Valsubmitsanapplicationtoregisterthewebsitenaminghimselfastheauthorandclaimant.ThedepositcopiesclearlyindicatethatWendycontributedcopyrightableauthorshiptotheworkandtheapplicationcontainsnotransferstatement.Theregistrationspecialistwillcommunicatewiththeapplicant,becauseWendyappearstobetheauthorofthiscontentandValdoesnotappeartobetheproperclaimantunlesstherewasavalidtransferofownershipviaasignedwrittenagreement.

Forfurtherinformationonissuesinvolvingtheownershipofawebsiteorwebsitecontent,seeSection1004.

1003.3 Copyrightable Content Contained in or Added to a Website

Websitesoftencontaincontributionsthatconstituteseparateandindependentworksinthemselves,suchastext,photographs,videos,soundrecordings,andthelike.Insuchcases,thewebsiteistypicallyaformofcollectiveworkinwhichanumberofcomponentworksareselected,coordinated,and/orarrangedintoacollectivewhole,whilethecomponentsworkstypicallyarecontributionstothecollectivework.

Thecreatorofthewebsitemaybetheauthorandownerofthewebsiteasawhole,whileanotherpartyorpartiesmaybetheauthor(s)andowner(s)ofparticularworkscontainedwithinthesite.Inmanycases,multipleapplicationsmayberequiredtoregisterthecopyrightinalltheworkscontainedwithinawebsite,unlesstherehasbeenavalidtransferofownershipforthecopyrightinterestineachofthecomponentworks(assumingthoseworkswerenotpreviouslypublishedorregistered).

1003.4 User Generated Content (UGC)

Manywebsitesallowuserstopostcontentthattheycreated,suchascomments,reviews,photographs,orvideos.Thistypeofmaterialisknownasusergeneratedcontent(“UGC”).

Asageneralrule,theuseristheauthorofanyoriginalexpressionthatheorshecreatesandpoststoawebsite,andtheuserownsthecopyrightinthatmaterialunlessheorshetransfersownershipofalltheexclusiverightstothewebsiteownerpursuanttoavalid,signed,writtentransferofownership.

FormoreinformationonownershipissuesinvolvingUGC,seeSection1005.



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1004 Identifying the Owner of Website Content

Forpurposesofcopyrightregistration,theownerofwebsitecontentiseither(i)theauthorofthecontentor(ii)acopyrightownerthatownsalltheexclusiverightsinthatcontent.Whencompletinganapplicationtoregisterwebsitecontent,theownerofthecontentshouldbeidentifiedintheapplicationasthe“claimant.”Althoughtheauthorofthecontentorthecopyrightownerofthatcontentaretheonlypartieswhoareentitledtoclaimownershipofthecopyrightinthatmaterial,anapplicationtoregisterthatclaimmaybesignedandsubmittedbyanyofthepartieslistedinChapter400,Section402.

Theauthorofwebsitecontentmaybenamedasaclaimanteveniftheauthortransferredsomeoralloftheexclusiverightsinthatcontenttoanotherparty.Acopyrightownerthatownsalloftheexclusiverightsinwebsitecontentmaybenamedasaclaimant,providedthatthecopyrightinthatcontentwastransferredtotheownerpursuanttoavalidsigned,writtenagreement.Ifthewebsitecontainscontentauthoredbyathirdpartyandifthecopyrightinthatcontenthasnotbeenfullytransferredtotheclaimant,theapplicantshouldexpresslyexcludethatcontentfromtheclaim.

Ifanindividual,company,ororganizationhiresanindependentcontractortodesignawebsiteand/orcreatecopyrightablecontentforthewebsite,thehiringpartymayhaveacontractualorimpliedrighttousethewebsiteand/orthecontentforthepurposeforwhichitwasintended.However,thehiringpartydoesnotownthecopyrightinthatcontentandcannotbenamedasaclaimantunlesstherewasavalidtransferofownershipinthecopyrightfromtheindependentcontractortothehiringparty.

Examples:

• TrashyProductionsLLCoperatesafashionblogcalled“OneGirlsTrash;”JakeRagisanemployeeofthecompany.Jakeshotavideoofstreetfashionanduploadedittothecompany’swebsite.Jakesubmittedanapplicationtoregisterthevideoasa“motionpicture,”namingTrashyProductionsastheauthorandclaimantwiththeworkmadeforhireboxchecked“yes.”Theregistrationspecialistwillregistertheclaim.

• MadgePashentersintoasigned,writtenagreementwithawell-knownartistgrantingMadgeanonexclusivelicensetodisplaytheartist’sdrawingsonherwebsite.Madgesubmitsanapplicationtoregisterthecontentofherwebsite,namingherselfastheclaimant/ownerofthedrawings“bynonexclusivelicense.”Theregistrationspecialistwillrefusetoregistertheclaiminthedrawings,becauseanonexclusivelicenseisnotatransferofownership,andbecauseMadgeisneithertheauthorofthedrawingsortheownerofalltheexclusiverightsinthoseworks.

Forguidanceinidentifyingtheclaimantandprovidingatransferstatement,seeSection1009.7andChapter600,Sections619and620.Forinformationontheprocedureforexcludingthirdpartymaterialfromaclaim,seeSection1009.8andChapter600,Section621.



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1005 Transfer of Ownership by Terms of Service

Insomecases,anindividualauthormaybeaskedtoacceptthetermsofserviceforawebsitebeforetheauthoruploadsUGCtothatsite.Ifthetermsofservicestatethatthewebsitebecomestheownerofalltheexclusiverightsinanyworksthatarelawfullyuploadedtothatsite,theauthormaybedeemedtohavetransferredownershipofthecopyrightinthatUGCthroughawritten,digitally-signedtransferagreement.SeeMetropolitanRegionalInformationSystemsv.AmericanHomeRealtyNetwork,Inc.,722F.3d591(4thCir.2013).

Whilethisissuehasnotbeenaddressedbymanycourts,atpresenttheU.S.CopyrightOfficewillacceptanapplicationthatnamestheownerofawebsiteastheclaimantforUGCthathasbeenuploadedtothatsite,butonlyiftheapplicantidentifiestheauthorsofthatcontentintheapplicationandconfirmsthattheauthorstransferredtheirrightstotheclaimant.TheOfficeencouragesapplicantstonamealltheauthorsoftheUGCthatisclaimedintheapplication.However,ifthecontentwascreatedbyalargenumberofauthors,theOfficewillacceptanapplicationthatprovidesrepresentativenamesofsomeoftheauthorsandthenumberofadditionalauthorswhocontributedtothecontentthatisincludedintheclaim(e.g.,“B.F.Pierce,JohnMcIntyre,HankBlake,WalterO’Reilly,and14others”).Inanyclaimofownershipinvolvinga“click-through”agreementortermsofserviceagreement,theclaimantmustknowandhavearecordofthenamesoftheauthorswhotransferredownershipofalltheexclusiverightstotheclaimant.Toverifythisrequirement,theregistrationspecialistmayrequestadditionalinformationfromtheapplicant.Insuchcases,thespecialistwillnotaccepttransfersfromanonymous,pseudonymous,orunidentifiedauthorsasavalidtransferofownership.

1006 Copyrightable Subject Matter

Section102(a)oftheCopyrightActstatesthatcopyrightprotectiononlyextendsto“originalworksofauthorship.”17U.S.C§102(a).Tosatisfythisrequirement,aworkmustbefixedinatangiblemediumofexpression,itmustbecreatedbyahumanbeing,itmustconstitutecopyrightablesubjectmatter,anditmustcontainasufficientamountofcreativeexpression.

Awebsiteinandofitselfisnotexplicitlyrecognizedascopyrightablesubjectmatter,althoughitmaycontaincopyrightablesubjectmatterthatfallswithinoneormoreofthecategoriesofauthorshipsetforthinSection102(a),and/oritmayqualifyasacompilation,acollectivework,oraderivativework.Awebsiteismerelyamediumoffixationforworksoforiginalauthorship,butitisnotaworkofauthorshipinandofitself.Inotherwords,itisavehicleforthedisseminationofcontent,whichmayormaynotbecopyrightable.Likeanymediumforcopyrightableexpression,suchasabook,DVD,orCD-ROM,itisthecontentofthewebsite—notthemediumofexpression—thatcomprisesthecopyrightableauthorshipthatmayberegisteredwiththeU.S.CopyrightOffice.

Websitesmaycontainthreelayersofpotentiallycopyrightableauthorship:

• Websitescontaincontentthatismadeperceptibleonthewebsite’spagesintheformoftextordigitalfiles.Websitesusuallycontainmultipleformsofcontent,suchastext,computerprograms,photographsandothertwo-dimensionalartwork,



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musicalworks,soundrecordings,dramaticworks,andmotionpicturesorotheraudiovisualworks.Websitecontentmayberegisteredifitconstitutescopyrightablesubjectmatterandifitcontainsasufficientamountoforiginalauthorship.TheOfficeappliesthesameruleswhenexaminingthesetypesofworks,regardlessofwhethertheyaremadeavailableonawebsiteorotheronlinemediumorwhethertheyaremadeavailableinahardcopyformat.

• Websitesmaycontaincompilationauthorship.Specifically,theremaybeauthorshipinthewayinwhichthecopyrightabletextand/ordigitalfilesareselected,coordinated,and/orarrangedonaparticularwebpage,orthewayinwhichthepagesoftheoverallwebsiteareselected,coordinated,and/orarranged,suchasthemannerorhierarchyinwhichthepagesareconnectedorlinkedtoeachother.Inmanycases,theauthororclaimantoftheselection,coordination,and/orarrangementmaynotbethesameastheauthoroftheindividualelementswithinthewebsite.Iftheselection,coordination,and/orarrangementissufficientlycreative,thewebsitemayberegisteredasacompilation,collectivework,orderivativework.

• Websitescontainunderlyingmarkuplanguageorstylesheetsthatstructure,arrange,andcoordinatethemannerinwhichtheuserviewsorotherwiseperceivesthecontentonthesitethroughthehisorherbrowser.Theunderlyingmarkuplanguageforawebsitemayormaynotcontaincopyrightableauthorship.Moreover,markuplanguagemayormaynotbeauthoredbythecreatorofthewebsite,butinsteadmaybegeneratedbythewebsitedesignsoftwarethatthecreatorusedtocreatethewebsite.

Websitesaresomewhatuniqueasvehiclesforthedisseminationofcontent.Unlikeatangibleobject,suchasaprintedmagazineorarolloffilm,websitesarenotstaticcontainersforcontent.Theyaredynamiccontainersthatmaychangeovertimeasoftenandtotheextentthatthewebsiteownerwishes.Inaddition,websitesarenotlinearfrombeginningtoend,butrathermaybebrowsedinmanyvariedways.

Althoughwebsitesaredynamic,copyrightprotectionintheUnitedStatesextendsonlytofixedworksofauthorshipthatfallunderthecategoriesprovidedinSection102(a)oftheCopyrightAct.TheOfficewillregisteraclaiminwebsitecontentonlyasitexistsatthetimethattheapplicationisreceived.TheOfficewillnotregisteraclaiminwebsitecontentasitmayexistinthefutureifthatcontenthasnotbeenfixedyet.

Forinformationconcerningspecifictypesofwebsitecontent,seeSections1006.1through1006.4.Forgeneralinformationonwhatconstitutescopyrightablesubjectmatterandcopyrightableauthorship,seeChapter300,Sections307and308.Forgeneralinformationconcerningcompilations,collectiveworks,andderivativeworks,seeChapter300,Sections311and312,andChapter500,Sections507,508,and509.

1006.1 Literary Works

Websitestypicallycontainsometextorliteraryauthorship.Websitesalsomayincludespecifictypesofliteraryworks,suchaspoems,shortstories,newsarticles,blogentries,databases,andcomputersoftware.Thistypeofwebsitecontentmaybeclaimedinan



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applicationifitissufficientlycreative.However,aclaimintextorliteraryauthorshipdoesnotextendtotitles,shortphrases,standardnavigationaltext,orotherinsufficientlycreativeorfunctionalelements.

1006.1(A) Hypertext Markup Language (HTML Code)

AnapplicantmayregisterHTMLcodemayberegisteredasaliteraryworkifthecodeitwascreatedbyahumanbeing(ratherthanawebsitedesignprogram)andifitcontainsasufficientamountofcreativeexpression.TheclaimmayincludetheHTMLcodeunderlyinganentirewebsiteoritmaybelimitedtospecificwebpages.Inallcases,theHTMLcodeclaimantmustnotcontainanybetheauthoroftheHTMLormustownalloftheexclusiverightsintheHTML.IftheHTMLcontainsanappreciableamountofpreviouslypublishedorpublished,previouslyregistered,orpublicdomainmaterial,andtheclaimantmustownalloftheexclusiverightsinthecodethatmaterialshouldbeexcludedfromtheclaim.Foradefinitionanddiscussionofthedifferencesbetweenanapplicant,author,andclaimant,seeChapter400.

TheOfficewillnotregisterHTMLcodeasacomputerprogram,becauseHTMLdoesnotconstitutesourcecode.HTMLcodeisamarkuplanguagethatmerelyformatsthetextandfilesonawebpageinmuchthesamewaythatthecodesinawordprocessingprogramformatthecharactersandspacesinadocument.

Unlikecomputerprogramsthatarehand-codedbyprogrammersusingcomputerprogramminglanguages,HTMLcodeisfrequentlygeneratedbywebsitedesignsoftwarethatprovidestemplatesorWYSIWYG(“WhatYouSeeIsWhatYouGet”)functionality.IfthewebsitedesignsoftwareautomaticallycreatestheHTMLcode,thewebsitedesignerisnotconsideredtheauthoroftheresultingmarkuplanguage.Byanalogy,whenanauthorcreatesadocumentusingawordprocessingprogram,theauthormayinserttext,spaces,andparagraphs,choosethefontandthesizeoftheletters,andselectthecoloroftheseelements,butthosedecisionsdonotconstitutecopyrightableauthorship.Insuchcases,theauthorofthedocumentcannotassertaclaiminthecodesgeneratedbythewordprocessingprogram,becausethosecodeswerecreatedbytheprogramitself.ThesameistrueforHTMLcodethatisautomaticallygeneratedbywebsitedesignsoftware.

TheHTMLcodeforawebsitetypicallycontainsanytextthatisviewableonthesite,becausetheHTMLcodeformats,colors,sizes,andlaysoutthetextoneachwebpage.Ifanapplicantintendstoregisterthetextwithinawebsite,theapplicantshouldsubmitthetextasitisrenderedonthewebpage;thereisnoreasontosubmittheHTMLcode.

ToregisteraclaiminHTMLcodetheapplicantmustsubmitcopy(ies)oftheentirecodework.Theapplicantmaynotrelyontheregulationsgoverningcomputerprograms,whichallowapplicantstosubmitonlyaportionofthesourcecode.

AregistrationforHTMLcodeand/oraccompanyingtextwillextendtotheoriginaltextthatisembeddedinthecodeHTML(i.e.,theseriesoflettersandnumbers,interspersedwithfilenamesand/ortext).However,itwillnotextendtotheformattingandlayoutoftextordigitalfilesonawebpagethatmaybedictatedbytheHTMLcodeorstylesheets.Aclaiminacomputerprogrammaycoverthescreendisplaysandothercontent



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generatedbytheprogram,butaclaiminHTMLcodedoesnotextendtothescreendisplaysoranycontentofthefilesreferredtointhecodeHTML.

ForinformationconcerningthepracticesandproceduresforregisteringcomputerprogramsseeChapter700,Section721.

1006.1(B) Databases

AsdiscussedinSection1002.6,awebsiteisnotconsideredadatabaseforthepurposeofcopyrightregistration.Themerefactthatawebsitecontainsadatabaseofinformationorthefactthattheinformationonawebsiteissearchabledoesnottransformthewebsiteintoadatabase.Forthesereasons,thegroupregistrationoptionfordatabaseupdatescannotbeusedtoregisterwebsitesorwebpages,andatpresentthereisnogroupregistrationoptionforwebsiterevisionsthathavebeenmadeoveraperiodoftime.

Ifawebsitecontainsadatabaseaspartofitswebsitecontent,thedatabasemayberegisteredasaliteraryworkifitcontainsasufficientamountoforiginalauthorship.TheOfficeappliesthesameruleswhenexaminingthistypeofwork,regardlessofwhetherthedatabaseismadeavailablethroughawebsiteorinahardcopyformat.Forinformationconcerningthepracticesandproceduresforregisteringadatabase,seeChapter700,Section727.Forinformationconcerningthegroupregistrationoptionfordatabaseupdates,seeChapter1100,Section1117.

1006.2 Visual Art Works

Websitestypicallycontainvisualartworks,suchasphotographs,graphicdesigns,drawings,illustrations,andothertwo-dimensionalworks.Thistypeofwebsitecontentmayberegisteredifitissufficientlyoriginal.

Avisualartworkmayberegisteredonanindividualbasisiftheclaimantistheauthorofthatwebsitecontentorownsalltheexclusiverightsinthatcontent.Inthealternative,thetwo-dimensionalvisualartscontentcontainedinawebsitemayberegisteredasacollectiveworkiftheauthorselected,coordinated,and/orarrangedthatcontentandiftheclaimantistheauthorofthecollectiveworkorownsalltheexclusiverightsinthatwork.

Creativepictorialauthorshipthatiscontainedinastandarddesignfeature,suchasabackground,button,banner,ortemplatemaybecopyrightableifitissufficientlycreative.However,aclaiminthepictorialauthorshipcontainedonawebsitedoesnotextendtothestandardplacementoffeaturesonthewebpages,suchaselementsthatarepartofthetemplate,includingmerecoloration,theuseofborders,ortheselectionoftypefaceandfont.



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Example:

• MightyOakInsurancecreatesanoriginallogodesignfeaturingtheimageofanoaktreeandincorporatesthelogointothetemplateforitswebsite.Thelogomayberegistrableastwo-dimensionalartwork.

1006.3 Works of the Performing Arts

Worksoftheperformingartsthatareperceptibleonwebpagesmayberegisterediftheyaresufficientlyoriginal,includingmusicalworks,soundrecordings,dramaticworks,choreographicworks,pantomimes,motionpictures,andotheraudiovisualworks.

Aworkoftheperformingartsmayberegisteredonanindividualbasisiftheclaimantistheauthorofthatwebsitecontentorownsalltheexclusiverightsinthatcontent.Inthealternative,theperformingartscontentcontainedinawebsitemayberegisteredasacollectiveworkiftheauthorselected,coordinated,and/orarrangedthatcontentandiftheclaimantistheauthorofthecollectiveworkorownsalloftheexclusiverightsinthatwork.

1006.4 Compilation Authorship

TheCopyrightActdefinesa“compilation”as“aworkformedbythecollectionandassemblingofpreexistingmaterialsorofdatathatareselected,coordinated,orarrangedinsuchawaythattheresultingworkasawholeconstitutesanoriginalworkofauthorship.”17U.S.C.§101.

Thecontentofawebsitemayqualifyasacompilationifthereisasufficientamountofcreativeexpressionintheselection,coordinationand/orarrangementofthecontentasawhole.Forexample,theremaybe“selection”authorshipinvolvedinchoosingthematerialordatathatwillbeincludedinthewebsite.Theremaybecoordinationauthorshipinvolvedinclassifying,categorizing,ordering,orgroupingthecontent.Inaddition,theremaybearrangementauthorshipinvolvedindeterminingtheplacementorarrangementofthecontentwithinthewebsiteasawhole.

Toregisteraclaimtocopyrightinacompilationtheapplicantshouldstate“compilationof__________”inthefieldmarkedOther,andshouldspecifythetypeofwebsitecontentthattheauthorselected,coordinated,and/orarranged(e.g.,“compilationoftext”or“compilationoftextandphotographs”).Aregistrationforacompilationmaycovereachtypeofauthorshipifitissufficientlycreative,butitdoesnotcoveranycontentthatappearswithinthewebsiteunlessthatcontentiscopyrightableandisspecificallyclaimedintheapplication.

Example:

• CamillaBeretistheownerofadatingwebsitecalled“SwitchandBait.”Camilladidnotcreatetheindividuallistingsthatarepostedonthesite,butsheselectedthefieldsthatareincludedwithineachlistingandshecreatedthearrangementoflistings,headings,graphics,andphotographswithinthewebsiteasawhole.Ifthe



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selectionandarrangementissufficientlycreative,theregistrationspecialistmayregisterCamilla’sauthorshipasa“compilationoftext,graphics,andphotographs.”

Forgeneralinformationregardingcompilations,seeChapter500,Section508.Forinformationregardingcompilationauthorship,seeChapter300,Section312.Forinformationregardingthepracticesandproceduresforregisteringaclaiminacompilation,seeChapter600,Section618.6and621.8(D).

1007 Uncopyrightable Material

Aregistrationforaclaiminwebsitecontentdoesnotextendtoanyuncopyrightablematerialcontainedwithinawebsite.Inparticular,theU.S.CopyrightOfficewillrefusetoregisterwebsitecontentthatdoesnotconstitutecopyrightablesubjectmatterorcontentthatlacksasufficientamountoforiginalauthorship.Examplesofuncopyrightablematerialinclude,butarenotlimitedto,thefollowing:

• Ideas,suchasplansforfuturewebsites.

• Functionaldesignelements.

• Domainnamesandhypertextlinks.

• Thelayout,format,or“lookandfeel”ofawebsite.

• Common,unoriginalmaterial,suchasnames,icons,orfamiliarsymbols.

See17U.S.C.§102(b);seealso37C.F.R.§202.1.

ThistypeofmaterialisdiscussedinSections1007.1through1007.4.Forageneraldiscussionofuncopyrightablematerial,seeChapter300,Section313.

1007.1 Ideas for Websites, Website Operation, or Website Structure

Section102(b)oftheCopyrightActspecificallystatesthatcopyrightprotectionforanoriginalworkofauthorshipdoesnot“extendtoanyidea,procedure,process,system,methodofoperation,concept,principle,ordiscovery…regardlessoftheforminwhichitisdescribed,explained,illustrated,orembodiedinsuchwork.”17U.S.C.§102(b).Forexample,copyrightprotectiondoesnotextendtotheideasforawebsite,nordoesitextendtoanyideasorconceptsforthevisualoroperationaldesignofawebsite,itsuserinterface,orthehyperlinkstructureofthesite.

1007.2 Domain Names and URLs

AdomainnameorURListheaddressforawebsiteorwebpage.Itistheonlineequivalentofamailingaddressorphonenumber.Theseelementsarefactsthatarenoteligibleforcopyrightprotection.SeeFeistPublications,Inc.v.RuralTelephoneServiceCo.,499U.S.340,347(1991)(“Noonemayclaimoriginalityastofacts...becausefactsdonotowetheirorigintoanactofauthorship.”).Inaddition,domainnamesandURLs



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arenotprotectablebecausetheyaremerelywordsorshortphrasesthatlackthesufficientamountofcreativityrequiredforcopyrightprotection.See37C.F.R.§202.1(a).

1007.3 Hypertext Links

AhypertextlinkisgenerallyaURLorbookmarkwithinawebsite.Theseelementsarenotcopyrightable,becausetheyareessentiallyaddressesorfactsandbecausetheyaresimplyamethodforaccessingcontentwithinawebsite.

AlthoughaURLorbookmarkinandofitselfwouldnotbeprotectedbycopyright,thecreativetextorgraphicthatembodiesahypertextlinkmaybecopyrightableifthattextorgraphiccontainsasufficientamountoforiginalauthorship.

1007.4 Layout and Format

Thecopyrightlawdoesnotprotecttheoveralllookandfeelofawebsite.Itonlyprotectsthespecificcopyrightableexpressionfoundonawebsiteonagivendate.

Asageneralrule,theselection,coordination,and/orarrangementofparticularcontentonawebpagemaybecopyrightableifitissufficientlycreative.However,thelayout(i.e.,spatialplacement)orformatofawebpageisnotcopyrightableinandofitself,regardlessofhowmanyelementsareusedinthelayoutorformat.Forexample,aclaimbasedontheborderwidthforawebpage,theplacementofsomebanner,andaplaceholderforblocksofunspecifiedtextorimageswouldnotberegistrable.Bycontrast,aclaimbasedonaparticularbanner,text,andimagesthatarearrangedinacreativemannermaybeeligibleforregistration,buttheclaimwouldextendonlytothatselection,coordination,and/orarrangementofthoseparticularelements.Itwouldnotextendtootherelementsthathavebeenarrangedinthesameorsimilarway.

TheU.S.CopyrightOfficewillnotregistertheformatandlayoutofawebsitebecauseitwouldimpedetheverypurposeofcopyright—topromotecreativity—bylimitingthewaysinwhichcreativitymaybeexpressed.Afterconductingaformalrulemaking,theOfficedeterminedthatitcannotregistertheoverallformatorlayoutofabookorotherprintedpublication,includingthechoiceofstyleandsizeoftypeface,leading(i.e.,thespacebetweenlinesoftype),theplacementofthefolio(i.e.,pagenumbers),thearrangementoftypeonthepages,ortheplacement,spacing,andjuxtapositionoftextualandillustrativematterinthework.TheOfficecannotregistertheseelementsbecausetheyfallwithintherealmofuncopyrightableideas.IftheOfficeregisteredclaimsinformatorlayoutitwouldextendprotectiontotheideaitself,becausethereareonlyalimitednumberofwaystoorganizecontentwithinapublication.Barringthesetypesofclaimsthusservesthegoalofcopyrightbyensuringthatthesebuildingblocksofexpressionareavailabletoallcreators.SeeRegistrationofClaimstoCopyright:NoticeofTerminationofProposedRulemakingRegardingRegistrationofClaimstoCopyrightintheGraphicElementsinvolvedintheDesignofBooksandOtherPrintedPublications,46Fed.Reg.30,651,30,653(June10,1981).

Forthesamereason,theOfficewillnotregisterthestandardarrangementorplacementofthecommonelementsandfeaturesonawebpage.Thedecisiontoaddorplaceabanner,border,frame,sign-inbox,title,footer,videoscreen,textblocks,orotherelementsincertainpositionscannotberegisteredintheabsenceofspecific



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copyrightablecontentinthoseelements,becausethesetypesofchoicesdonotconstituteoriginalauthorship.Forinstance,anoriginalbannermayberegisteredasapictorialworkifitissufficientlycreative,buttheregistrationwillnotextendtotheplacementofthatbannerbecausetherearealimitednumberofwaystolayoutthattypeofcontentonawebpage.

Stylesheetlanguages,suchasCascadingStyleSheets,aremerelymethodsofformattingandlayingouttheorganizationofdocumentswritteninamarkuplanguage,suchasHTML.Becauseprocedures,processes,andmethodsofoperationarenotcopyrightable,theOfficegenerallywillrefusetoregisterclaimsbasedsolelyonCSS.

Forageneraldiscussionoflayoutandformat,seeChapter300,Section313.3(E)andChapter900,Section906.5.

1008 Registration Issues

Claimsinwebsitecontentareoftendelayedbecausetheapplicationcontainsinaccurateorincompleteinformationand/orbecausetherearediscrepanciesbetweenthestatementsprovidedintheapplicationandtheinformationormaterialcontainedinthedepositcopy(ies).ThisSectiondiscussesissuesthatcommonlyariseinconnectionwiththeregistrationofsuchworks.

1008.1 The Scope of a Registration for Website Content

Aregistrationforwebsitecontentextendsonlytothefollowingmaterial:

• Materialthatcontainsasufficientamountofcopyrightableexpression,

• Materialthatisoriginaltotheauthornamedintheapplication,

• Materialthatisownedbytheclaimantnamedintheapplication,

• Materialthatisexpresslydescribedintheapplication,and

• Materialcontainedinthedepositaccompanyingtheapplication.

1008.2 Unclaimable Material Must Be Excluded from the Claim

Aswithanytypeofwork,aregistrationforwebsitecontentdoesnotextendtoanyunclaimablematerialthatmaybecontainedwithinthatcontent.Forpurposesofregistration,unclaimablematerialincludesmaterialthatisnotownedbytheclaimant,materialthatisinthepublicdomain,ormaterialthatwaspreviouslypublishedorpreviouslyregistered.

Ifthedepositcontainsanappreciableamountofpreviouslypublished,previouslyregistered,publicdomain,orthirdpartymaterial,theapplicantmustexpresslyexcludethatmaterialfromtheclaimusingtheproceduredescribedinChapter600,Section621.8.Assertingaclaiminpreviouslypublishedmaterialisoneofthemostcommonmistakesthatapplicantsmakewhencompletinganapplicationtoregisterwebsitecontent.



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TheU.S.CopyrightOfficehasalongstandingpracticeofprecludingpreviouslypublishedmaterialfromaclaiminacollectiveworkorderivativework,eveniftheauthorofthecollectiveworkorderivativeworkistheauthorofthepreviouslypublishedmaterialandownsalloftherightsinthatmaterial.TheOfficerequiresapplicantstodisclaimpreviouslypublishedmaterialforseveralreasons.Historically,publicationaffectedthedurationofthecopyrightinawork,anditcontinuestobeimplicatedinthedurationofworksmadeforhire,anonymousworks,andpseudonymousworks.ObtaininginformationaboutthedateandnationoffirstpublicationmaybenecessarytodetermineifaparticularworkiseligibleforcopyrightprotectionintheUnitedStatesoriftheworkissubjecttothemandatorydepositrequirementforworkspublishedinthiscountry.Inaddition,thisinformationmaybenecessarytodetermineiftheapplicantsatisfiedtheapplicabledepositrequirements.Toregisterapublishedworkanapplicantgenerallymustmayberequiredtosubmitthebesteditionforthattypeofacompletecopyofthatwork,unlesstheOffice’sregulationsexplicitlyallowforthesubmissionofidentifyingmaterial.Finally,thislongstandingpracticeclarifiesthedateofpublicationforaparticularwork,whichmayassistthecourtsinassessingthecopyrightowner’seligibilityforstatutorydamagesandattorney’sfeesinaninfringementactioninfringementaction.Forinformationconcerningtheseissues,seeChapter500,Section503.5.

1008.3 Publication Issues

1008.3(A) What Constitutes Publication?

PublicationisdefinedintheU.S.CopyrightActas:“[T]hedistributionofcopiesorphonorecordsofaworktothepublicbysaleorothertransferofownership,orbyrental,lease,orlending.Theofferingtodistributecopiesorphonorecordstoagroupofpersonsforpurposesoffurtherdistribution,publicperformance,orpublicdisplay,constitutespublication.”17U.S.C.§101(definitionof“publication”)(emphasesadded).Thestatutealsostatesthat“[a]publicperformanceordisplayofaworkdoesnotinitselfconstitutepublication.”Id.

Toperformordisplayawork“publicly”means“(1)toperformordisplayitataplaceopentothepublicoratanyplacewhereasubstantialnumberofpersonsoutsideofanormalcircleofafamilyanditssocialacquaintancesisgathered;or(2)totransmitorotherwisecommunicateaperformanceordisplayoftheworktoaplacespecifiedbyclause(1)ortothepublic,bymeansofanydeviceorprocess,whetherthemembersofthepubliccapableofreceivingtheperformanceordisplayreceiveitinthesameplaceorinseparateplacesandatthesametimeoratdifferenttimes.”17U.S.C.§101(definitionof“toperformordisplayawork‘publicly’”).

Although,inthevernacular,theterm“published”hasacquiredbroadmeaning,ithasamuchnarrowermeaningasatermofartwithintheCopyrightAct.Moreover,publicationwaspartofthecopyrightlawlongbeforetheinternetbecameameansofpubliccommunicationanddissemination.Whiletechnologicaldevelopmentshaveblurredthistraditionalconcept,theU.S.CopyrightOfficeinterpretspublicationinamannerconsistentwithcongressionalintentandwithappreciationforthecurrentfactualandlegaldistinctionsthatmayinformtheassessmentofthisissue.Specifically,theOfficeviewspublicationinlightofthestatutorydefinitionof“publication,”the



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legislativehistoryfortheCopyrightAct,andahostofbusinesspracticespremisedondivisibleexclusiverights.1

Foradetailedarticulationofthesedefinitionsandageneraldiscussionofpublication,seeChapter1900.ForageneraldiscussionofpublicationontheInternet,seeSections1008.3(B)through1008.3(F).

1008.3(B) Reproduction and Distribution Distinguished from Performance and Display

Thestatutorydefinitionmakesclearthatpublicationrequires(i)thedistributionofcopiesorphonorecordsofaworktothepublicbysaleorothertransferofownership,orbyrental,lease,orlending,or(ii)anoffertodistributecopiesorphonorecordstoagroupofpersonsforpurposesoffurtherdistribution,publicperformance,orpublicdisplay.17U.S.C.§101.

Asageneralrule,theU.S.CopyrightOfficeconsidersawork“published”whenitismadeavailableonlineifthecopyrightownerauthorizestheendusertoretaincopiesorphonorecordsofthatwork.Forexample,thefactthataworkisexpresslyauthorizedforreproductionordownloadbymembersofthepublicorisexpresslyauthorizedfordistributionbythepubliccreatesareasonableinferencethatcopiesorphonorecordshavebeendistributedandthatpublicationhasoccurred.

Likewise,theOfficegenerallyconsidersawork“published”whenthecopyrightownermakescopiesorphonorecordsavailableonlineandofferstodistributethemtoagroupofpersonsforpurposesoffurtherdistribution,publicperformance,orpublicdisplay.Forinstance,thefactthatasoundrecordinghasbeenofferedfordistributiontomultipleonlinestreamingordownloadservices,orthefactthataphotographerofferedaphotographtomultiplestockphotocompaniesorwebsiteforpurposesoffurtherdistributionorpublicdisplaycreatesareasonableinferencethatanoffertodistributetoagroupofpersonshasbeenmadeandthatpublicationhasoccurred.

Itmayseemoddthatallowingthewholeworldtovieworhearaworkdoesnotconstitutepublicationofawork,butthestatutorydefinitionisclearthatthepublic

1 U.S.copyrightlawhaslongdrawnadistinctionbetweenthereproductionanddistributionright,ontheonehand,andthepublicperformanceandpublicdisplayrightontheother.Congressexplicitlyembracedtheconceptofdivisibilityoftheexclusiverightsofcopyrightwhenitenactedthe1976Act.H.R.REP.NO.94-1476,at123(1976),reprintedin1976U.S.C.C.A.N.5659,5738-39.



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performanceorpublicdisplayofaworkdoesnot,inandofitself,constitutepublication.Ameredisplayorperformanceisnotadistribution,becausetheenduserdoesnotretaina“copy”or“phonorecord”ofthework,asdefinedundertheCopyrightAct.See17U.S.C.§101(definitionof“copies”and“phonorecords”).2

Asageneralrule,theOfficedoesnotconsideraworktobepublishedifitismerelydisplayedorperformedonline,unlesstheauthororcopyrightownerclearlyauthorizedthereproductionordistributionofthatwork,orclearlyofferedtodistributetheworktoagroupofintermediariesforpurposesoffurtherdistribution,publicperformance,orpublicdisplay.

1008.3(C) The Authorization Requirement

Acriticalelementofpublicationisthatthedistributionofcopiesorphonorecordstothepublicmustbeauthorizedbythecopyrightowner.Tobeconsideredpublished,thecopyrightownermustexpresslyorimpliedlyauthorizeuserstomakeretainablecopiesorphonorecordsofthework,whetherbydownloading,printing,orbyothermeans.

Adistributionoroffertodistributethathasnotbeenauthorizedbythecopyrightownerdoesnotconstitutepublication.Thus,themerefactthataworkisdisclosedontheinternetdoesnot“publish”thework.Theenduser’stechnicalcapacitytocopy,capture,save,orotherwisereproduceaworkinandofitselfdoesnotimplythatthecopyrightownerauthorizedthedistributionorpublicationofthatwork,unlessthereisanexpressorimplied-in-factauthorizationthatsupportssuchaninference.Likewise,thefactthatitmaybepossibleforanendusertoreproduceordistributeaworkthathasbeenauthorizedonlyforpublicdisplayorpublicperformanceonlinedoesnotmeanthatpublicationhasoccurred.

Anunauthorizedreproductionordistributiononlinemayconstitutecopyrightinfringementormaybeafairuseincertaincircumstances,eveniftherearenotechnologicalprotectionmeasurespreventingtheuseofthatwork.Whileafairusemaybelawful,itisnotconsideredanauthorizedreproductionordistributionthatpublishesthecopyrightowner’swork.Similarly,aninfringingreproductionordistributiondoesnotconstitutepublication,eveniftheunauthorizedcopiesorphonorecordsaredispersedamonglargenumberofpeople.

2 Theterm“copies”isusedinterchangeablyinthisChaptertorefertoboth“copies”and“phonorecords,”whicharedefinedinSection101oftheCopyrightAct.



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Whileitisoftenasimplemattertodeterminewhetheradistributionoftangiblecopieswasauthorizedbythecopyrightowner,itisnotalwaysfactuallyclearwhethertheplacementofworksonlineisintendedtobeanauthorizeddistributionofthoseworksormerelyanauthorizedpublicperformanceorpublicdisplay.

Theanswertothisquestionmayvaryfordifferenttypesofworksorvarybasedonthewayinwhichworksareplacedonline.Forinstance,postingasoundrecordingonlineforauthorizeddownloadingbythepublicmaywellprovideevidenceofpublication,whereasmakingasoundrecordingavailableforstreamingwouldnotconstitutepublication,becausetheworkisonlyintendedtobepublicallyperformed.Similarly,postinganarticleonanewswebsitethatauthorizesuserstodownloadarticlesoremailthemtoafriendmaysupportafindingofpublicationforthatparticulararticle,whereaspostingtheentirenewswebsiteonlinewouldnotconstitutepublicationbecausethewebsiteasawholeisintendedonlyforpublicdisplay.Indeed,therewouldappeartobelittlebasisforinferringthatacopyrightownerauthorizedausertocopyand/ordistributeanentirewebsiteabsentsomeindicationtothecontrary.

Becausepublicationispremisedonauthorizeddistribution,itisultimatelyfortheauthororthecopyrightownertodeterminewhetheraworkisauthorizedfordistributionorislimitedtopublicperformanceorpublicdisplay.Thischoicemaybeexpress(e.g.,anexpressstatementthattheworksonawebsitemaybedownloadedorthattheyareavailableonlyforonlinedisplay)orimpliedinfact(e.g.,awebsitethatprovidesadownloadoptionorawebsitethatonlyprovidesastreamingoption).

Authorsandcopyrightownerswhowishtoclarifythepublicationstatusoftheirworksshouldprovideexpressinformationaboutwhattheyare,orarenot,authorizingotherstodowiththeirworks.Forinstance,explicitlyauthorizingdownloadingorreproductionofallthecontentonawebsitewouldindicatethattheworkspostedonthatsitehavebeenpublished.Implicitlyauthorizingdownloadingortransmissionofcopiesofworksbyofferingcopiesforsale,freedownloading,ortransmissiontoothersviaemailalsomaysuggestthatworkssubjecttothatimplicitauthorizationhavebeenpublished.Bycontrast,clearlystatingthatthecontentonaparticularisavailableonlyforpublicdisplayorpublicperformancewithanexpressprohibitiononthereproduction,distribution,ortransmissionofanyofthatcontentwouldindicatethattheworksonthatsiteareunpublished.

1008.3(D) Implied Nonexclusive License or Authorization

Toassessthepublicationstatusofworksplacedonline,itmaybenecessarytoclarifythescopeofanyimpliedlicensepurportedlygrantedbythecopyrightownerofthoseworks.Courtshavefoundthatanimplied,nonexclusivelicenseorauthorizationmayexistwherethecircumstancesandtheparties’conductreflectedtheirintentorunderstandingthattheworkwouldbeusedforaspecificpurpose.

Courtshaveconsideredawidevarietyoffactorsindeterminingwhetheranonexclusive,impliedlicensemayexist.Insomecases,thegrantofalicensemaybeimpliedbyobjectiveconductthat“supportsafindingthatanimpliedlicenseexisted.”EffectsAssociates,Inc.v.Cohen,908F.2d555,558n.8(9thCir.1990)(findinganimpliedlicensewheretheauthorcreatedspecialeffectsforahorrormovieandstatedthatthefootage



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wouldbeusedforthispurposeinbothawrittenagreementandinitsapplicationtoregisterthefootage).Inothercases,alicensemaybeimpliedbythetotalityoftheparties’conduct.See,e.g.,FalconEnterprises,Inc.v.PublishersService,Inc.,438Fed.App’x.579,581(9thCir.2011)(holdingthattheparties’conductdemonstratedtheexistenceofanongoingnonexclusive,impliedlicensewheretheplaintiffreceivedafeeeachtimehesentcopyrightedimagestothepublisherforpublicationoveraperiodofseveralyears).However,expressorexplicitlimitsonusemaysupersedeanimpliedlicense,particularlyifthecopyrightownerconveysthoselimitsbeforetheworkisdeliveredtothelicensee.SeeJohnsonv.Jones,149F.3d494,500-501(6thCir.1998)(findingnoimpliedlicensewherearchitectpresentedtheclientwithproposedcontractscontaininganexpressprovisionstatingthatthedrawingscouldnotbeusedwithouthisagreementorwithoutappropriatecompensation).

Avarietyoffactorsmayberelevantindeterminingwhetheracopyrightownerpublishedwebsitecontentbyimpliedlyauthorizinguserstomakecopiesofthatcontent.Examplesoffactorsthatmaybeconsideredincludethefollowing:

• Whetherthereareindicationsonthewebsiteorwebpagerelevanttotheworkindicatingthatthecopyrightownerintendsfortheworktobedistributedtotheuserviadownload,saving,printing,oremailing,suchasthepresenceofa“download,”“save,”or“email”buttonforaparticularwork.

• Whetherthecopyrightownerexpresslyreservedcopyrightrightsintheworkorexplicitlyprohibitedthereproductionordistributionoftheworkinwholeorinpart.

• Whetherthecopyrightowneremployedbarrierstothereproductionordistributionofthework,suchastechnologicalmeasuresthatdisableorimpairawebbrowser’sprint,copy,and/orsavecapabilities.

• Whetherthecopyrightownerpermittedtheworktobestreamedordisplayed,butdidnotexpresslypermittheworktobecopiedordownloaded.

1008.3(E) Intermediate or Buffer Copies Made in the Course of Streaming

Whenaworkisperformedordisplayedonlinethroughstreamingorbrowsing,temporarycopiesofthatworkareroutinelymadeduetothewayinwhichtheinternetoperates.Theseintermediatecopiesarenecessarytoperformordisplaytheworkonline.Ifthemeansofachievingapublicperformanceorpublicdisplayconstitutedadistributioninallcases,therightofpublicperformanceandpublicdisplaywouldceasetobedistinctandseparateexclusiverightsintheonlineenvironment.ThatwouldbecontrarytoCongress’sclearintentiontoexplicitlyrecognizethedivisibilityofexclusiverightsinthe1976Act.

Asdiscussedabove,theU.S.CopyrightOfficedoesnotconsiderawork“published”whenitismadeavailableonlinethroughapublicperformanceorpublicdisplayunlessthecopyrightownerauthorizestheendusertoretaincopiesofthatwork.Thefactthattheuser’scomputerorotherdevicemakesintermediatecopies,buffercopies,orothertemporarydigitalcopiesduringaperformanceordisplayofthatworkisirrelevantto



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thisdetermination.Authorizingtheperformanceordisplayofaworkdoesnotnecessarilymeanthatthecopyrightownerauthorizedtheendusertoretaincopiesofthework.Whiletemporarycopiesmayormaynotbefixedintheuser’scomputerorotherdeviceforaperiodofmorethantransitoryduration,theyarepurelyfunctionalcopiesmadesolelyforthepurposeoffacilitatingthetechnologicaldeliveryoftheperformanceordisplay.Typicallythecopyrightownerdoesnotintendfortheusertopermanentlyretainthosecopiesonhisorhercomputer,andanyfurtheruseofthosecopieswouldbeunauthorizedbytheowner.

Moreover,temporarycopiesmadeinthecourseofbrowsingwebsitesdonotreproducetheentiresite,butonlythepagesdisplayedintheuser’swebbrowser.Whenawebsiteanditscontentarepostedonline,thecopyrightownerpresumablygivesusersanimpliedlicensetocreatetemporarycopiesforthepurposeofviewingthatcontentinabrowser.Butitisdoubtfulthatanimpliedlicensewouldextendtoauthorizingthepermanentreproductionofanentirewebsiteoritscontentswithoutclearauthorizationfromthecopyrightowner.

1008.3(F) Determining the Publication Status of a Work Made Available Only Online

Theapplicant—nottheU.S.CopyrightOffice—mustdeterminewhetheraparticularworkispublishedorunpublished.ThisdeterminationshouldbebasedonthefactsthatexistatthetimetheapplicationisfiledwiththeOffice.Asageneralrule,theOfficewillaccepttheapplicant’srepresentationthatwebsitecontentispublishedorunpublished,unlessthatstatementisimplausibleoriscontradictedbyinformationprovidedelsewhereintheregistrationmaterialsorintheOffice’srecordsorbyinformationthatisknowntotheregistrationspecialist.

Inmakingthisdetermination,theapplicantmaywishtoconsiderthefollowinggeneralguidelines:

• Streamed-onlycontent:Streamingisaperformance,which,inandofitself,doesnotconstituteadistributionofcopies,because,asapracticalmatter,theuserdoesnotreceiveacopy.Ifaworkismadeavailableonawebsiteonlybystreamingandnotfordownload,itisnotpublished.

• Expressauthorizationtodownloadcontent:Ifaworkisexpresslymadeavailablefordownloadtheworkisdeemedpublished,becauseadistributionoccurseachtimeauserdownloadsacopy,suchaswhenMP3sofasoundrecordingareofferedforsaleonawebsiteorwhereacopyofsoftwareorapublicationvideogamecanbeobtainedbyclickingona“downloadnow”buttonorsimilarlink.

• Downloadingorreproductionexpresslyprohibited:Ifaworkispostedanddisplayedonawebsiteandifthereisanoticeonthewebpage,inthetermsofserviceforthesite,orinanotherobviousplacestatingthattheworkand/orallcontentonthesitemaynotbedownloaded,printed,orcopied(orotherstatementtothateffect),thatwork(s)maybedeemedunpublished,becauseanycopiesthatmaybedownloaded,printed,orotherwisedistributedtotheuserhavenotbeenauthorizedbythecopyrightowner.



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• Workpostedwithouttheauthorityofthecopyrightowner:Thefactthataworkwaspostedonawebsitewithoutauthorizationfromthecopyrightownerhasnoimpactonwhethertheworkispublishedorunpublished(eveniftheworkmaybedownloadedorprintedfromthesite),becausethecopyrightownerdidnotauthorizethework’savailabilityonthewebsiteinthefirstinstance.

• Impliedlicense:Ifaworkispostedonawebsiteandthereisnoevidentstatementinthetermsofserviceforthesite,onthewebpagewheretheworkisdisplayed,orelsewherestatingthattheworkmaybedownloaded,copied,forwarded,and/orprinteditmaybeunclearwhetherthecopyrightownerauthorizedthedistributionofthatwork.Ifdownloading,reproducing,orretransmittingisfacilitatedinsomemannerbythewebsite,theremayormaynotbeanimpliedlicensetodistributethework,inwhichcasetheworkmayormaynotbeconsideredpublished.

• Workmadeavailableinelectronicandhardcopyformat.Ifthesameworkispostedonlineanddistributedintangiblecopies,suchasCDs,DVDs,orinprintedformats,theworkwillbedeemedpublished,evenifithasnotbeenpublishedonline.

Forcompletecertainty,authorsorcopyrightownersmayregisterwebsitecontentasanunpublishedworkbeforeitisdistributedorplacedonline.Likewise,ifawebsitehasnotbeenpostedonlineyetandifallofthecontentcontainedinthesitehasneverbeendistributed,thewebsitemayberegisteredasanunpublishedwork.Aregistrationforanunpublishedworksecuresthestatutorybenefitsforawork,suchastheavailabilityofstatutorydamagesandattorney’sfeesforinfringementsthatoccuraftertheeffectivedateoftheregistrationforthatwork(regardlessofwhethertheworkissubsequentlypublished).

1008.4 Identifying the Work(s) That May Be Included in the Claim

ToregisteraclaimwiththeU.S.CopyrightOfficetheapplicantshouldbeginbyidentifyingthework(s)ofauthorshipthatwillbeincludedintheclaim.Thisisespeciallycriticalforwebsites,becausetheytypicallycontainanumberofdiscreteworksofauthorship.Eachworkmaypresentuniqueregistrationissuesthattheapplicantmayneedtoconsiderwhenpreparingtheapplicationandthedepositmaterial.

Forexample,ifthewebsitecontainsanumberofworksthatareownedbydifferentparties,itmaybenecessarytosubmitaseparateapplicationforeachwork.Separateapplicationsmaybenecessaryiftheapplicantdeterminesthattheworkshavebeenpublishedandthateachworkwaspublishedonadifferentdate.Likewise,separateapplicationsmaybenecessaryiftheapplicantintendstoregistermultipleversionsofthesameworkandiftheapplicantdeterminesthattheversionswerepublishedonsuccessivedates.Indeed,everyworkthatisaddedtoawebsitepotentiallymayqualifyasaderivativeworkoranewcontributiontoacollectivework.Insuchcases,aseparateapplicationandseparatepublicationdatemayberequiredforeachdatethatnewcontentwasuploadedtothewebsiteandauthorizedfordistributiontothepublic.

Bycontrast,ifthewebsitequalifiesasacollectiveworkitmaybepossibletoregistertheentiresitewithoneapplication,providedthattheclaimantownsthecopyrightinthesiteasawhole.Italsomaybepossibletoregistertheentiresitetogetherwiththe



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componentworkscontainedthereiniftheclaimantistheauthoroforownsthecopyrightinthoseworks.However,itisimportanttonotethatawebsiteclaimedasacollectiveworkwillonlybeeligibleforoneawardofstatutorydamagesnomatterhowmanydiscreteworkswithinthewebsitemaybeinfringed.17U.S.C.§504(c)(1).Forinformationconcerningtheregistrationoptionsforcollectiveworksandcontributionstocollectiveworks,seeChapter500,Section509.

Iftheapplicantdeterminesthatawebsiteisunpublished,itmaybepossibletoregistertheworksthatappearonsiteasanunpublishedcollection,suchasanunpublishedcollectionofphotographs,anunpublishedcollectionofarticles,oranunpublishedcollectionofblogposts.Inothercases,itmaybepossibletoregisteranumberofworkswithoneapplicationbyusingoneofthegroupregistrationoptions,suchastheoptionforregisteringagroupofpublishedphotographsoragroupofcontributionstoperiodicals,providedthattheapplicantsatisfiestheeligibilitycriteriaforthatoption.Forinformationconcerningtheseregistrationoptions,seeChapter1100(RegistrationforMultipleWorks).

1008.5 Identifying the Specific Version That May Be Included in the Claim

Manywebsitesarefrequentlyupdatedandmaychangesignificantlyovertime.Awebsitemayaddcontenteveryhour,day,week,month,oryear.ToregisteraclaimwiththeU.S.CopyrightOfficeitisimportanttoidentifythespecificversionofthework(s)thatwillbeincludedintheclaim.

Asageneralrule,eachversionofaworkmayberegisteredasaseparateworkiftheversioncontainsasufficientamountofnew,copyrightableauthorship.See17U.S.C.§101(statingthat“wheretheworkhasbeenpreparedindifferentversions,eachversionconstitutesaseparatework”).Aregistrationforaspecificversionofaworkcoversthenewmaterialthattheauthorcontributedtothatversion,includinganycopyrightablechanges,revisions,additions,orothermodificationsthattheauthorcontributedtothatversion.ButasdiscussedinSection1008.2,theregistrationdoesnotcoveranyunclaimablematerialthatappearsinthatversion,includinganymaterialthathasbeenpreviouslypublishedorpreviouslyregisteredwiththeOffice.Therefore,iftheversioncontainsanappreciableamountofcontentthathasbeenpreviouslypublishedand/orpreviouslyregistered,theapplicantshouldexcludethatmaterialfromtheclaim.

Example:

• SamBavardoperatesaduckhuntingwebsitecalled“AnimalQuackers.”EverythreemonthsSamrevisesthewebsitebyaddingnewtextandphotographs.WhenSamsubmitsanapplicationtoregisterthelatestversionofthesitehelimitstheclaimtothe“newtextandphotographs”thatheaddedtothesite,andheexcludesthephotographsandtextthatwerepreviouslyregisteredwiththeCopyrightOffice.

Forinformationconcerningtheprocedureforexcludingunclaimablematerial,seeSection1009.8.Forageneraldiscussionofissuesinvolvingtheregistrationofdifferentversionsofawork,seeChapter500,Section512.



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1008.6 Distinguishing Between Published and Unpublished Content

Publishedandunpublishedwebsitecontentistreateddifferentlyforthepurposesofregistration.Sections1008.6(A)and1008.6(B)discusssomeoftheissuesthatshouldbeconsideredwhenassertingaclaiminpublishedorunpublishedcontent.Forguidanceindeterminingwhetherwebsitecontentispublishedorunpublished,seeSection1008.3.

1008.6(A) Published Website Content

Iftheapplicantdeterminesthatthecontenthasbeenpublished,theapplicantmayregisterallofthecopyrightablematerialthatwasfirstpublishedonthedateofpublicationspecifiedintheapplication.Ifthecontentcontainscopyrightablematerialthatwaspublishedbeforethatdate,theapplicantmustexcludethatpreviouslypublishedmaterialfromtheclaim.

Whenpreparinganapplicationtoregistercontentthatappearsonapublishedwebsite,theapplicantshoulddothefollowing:

• Identifythecontentthattheapplicantintendstoregister.

• Identifytheyearthatthecontentwascreated.

• Identifytheyearthatthecontentwascompleted.

• Identifythedate(e.g.,month,day,andyear)thatthecontentwasfirstpublished.

• Prepareanappropriatedepositcontainingacompletecopyofthecontentintheforminwhichitwasfirstpublished.

Thedateoffirstpublicationspecifiedintheapplicationmustbelimitedtoasingledate,andaregistrationforpublishedwebsitecontentonlycoversthecontentthatwasfirstpublishedonthatdate.Therefore,thedepositshouldcontainacopyofthecontentasitexistedonthedateofpublicationthatisspecifiedintheapplication.Ifthepublicationdatespecifiedintheapplicationisnotthesameasthepublicationdateforthecontentreflectedinthedeposit,theregistrationspecialistwillcommunicatewiththeapplicant,whichwilldelaytheexaminationoftheclaim.

Ifanauthororcopyrightownerdeterminesthatawebsitehasbeenpublished,thatpartyisencouragedtopreserveandmaintainacopyofthewebsiteasitexistedoneachdaythatcopyrightableauthorshipisaddedorincorporatedintothewebsite.ThiswillensurethataproperdepositmaybepreparedandsubmittedtotheOfficeintheeventthattheauthor,thecopyrightowner,orotherauthorizedpartydecidestoregisterthewebsiteorthecontentcontainedtherein.Italsomayprovidecriticalevidenceintheeventthereisaninfringementdisputeinvolvingthatcontent.AsdiscussedinChapter200,Section202,thedateofpublicationmaybecrucialindeterminingwhetheracopyrightownerisabletoseekstatutorydamagesandattorney’sfeesinaninfringementaction.

Iftheapplicantdeterminesthatawebsitehasbeenpublished,itmaybebeneficialtoregistertheinitialversionofthecontentthatappearedonthesiteonthedatethatthe



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sitewasfirstpublished.Iftheapplicanttakesthisapproach,theregistrationwillcoverthatcontentasitexistedonthedateofpublicationspecifiedintheinitialapplication,providedthatthecontent(i)iscontainedwithinthedeposit,(ii)isownedbytheclaimantnamedintheapplication,and(iii)hasnotbeenpreviouslypublishedorpreviouslyregisteredwiththeOffice.

Iftheapplicantsubsequentlysubmitsanapplicationtoregistersubsequentversionsofthewebsite,theregistrationwillcovertheneworrevisedmaterialthatwasfirstpublishedonthedatespecifiedinthesubsequentapplication.Asageneralrule,theapplicantshouldsubmitaseparateapplicationforeachseparatelypublishedupdateorrevisiontothewebsitethattheapplicantwishestoregister.Ifthisisimpracticable,theapplicantmaydecidetoseekoneormorestrategicregistrationsthatcoverthepublishedcontentthatismostvaluabletotheclaimant.

1008.6(B) Unpublished Website Content

Iftheapplicantdeterminesthatthecontentwasplacedonlinesolelyforthepurposeofpublicdisplayorpublicperformance,theworkmaybedeemedunpublished.Ifso,theapplicantmayregisterallofthecopyrightablematerialthatappearsonthewebsiteasofthedatethattheapplicationissubmitted,providedthatthematerial(i)isreflectedinthedeposit,(ii)isownedbytheclaimantnamedintheapplication,and(iii)hasnotbeenpreviouslypublishedorpreviouslyregisteredwiththeOffice.Ifthewebsitecontainsanappreciableamountofpreviouslypublished,previouslyregisteredmaterial,ormaterialthatisownedbyathirdparty,theapplicantmustexcludethatmaterialfromtheclaim.Ifcopyrightablematerialissubsequentlyaddedtothewebsite,theapplicantmayseekanewregistrationfortheneworrevisedmaterialwhentheclaimantdeterminesthatfurtherprotectionisdesirable.

Insomecases,itmaybepossibletoregisteranumberofunpublishedworkswithoneapplication.Specifically,anapplicantmayregisteranumberofunpublishedworksasanunpublishedcollection,providedthattheworksarecombinedandassembledinanorderlyformwithasingletitle,andprovidedthattheclaimantisthesameforalltheelementsandatleastoneauthorcontributedcopyrightableauthorshiptoallofthoseelements.Foradetaileddiscussionofthisoption,seeChapter1100,Section1106.Italsomaybepossibletoregisterawebsiteasanunpublishedcollectivework,providedthatthesitecontainsasufficientlycreativeselection,coordination,and/orarrangementofcontent.Foradetaileddiscussionofcollectiveworks,seeChapter500,Section509.

1008.7 Statutory Damages

Indeterminingwhethertoregisterthecontentofawebsiteseparatelyortogethertheapplicantshouldconsiderthepotentialimpactonthecopyrightowner’sabilitytoseekdamagesintheeventthatathirdpartyinfringesthatcontent.

Itispossibletoregistervastamountsofmaterialthatappeartogetheronawebsitewithoneapplicationifthecontentqualifiesasacompilation,acollectivework,orcontributiontoacollectivework.Italsomaybepossibletoregisteranupdatedversionofawebsitethatcontainsvastamountsofneworrevisedcontentifitqualifiesasaderivativeversionoftheoriginalwebsite.However,derivativeworks,compilations,andcollectiveworksareconsideredoneworkforpurposesofcalculatingstatutorydamages.



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See17U.S.C.§504(c)(1)(“Forthepurposesofthissubsection,allthepartsofacompilationorderivativeworkconstituteonework.”);17U.S.C.§101(“Theterm‘compilation’includescollectiveworks.”).Consequently,registeringanumberofself-containedworksthatappearonawebsitetogetherasacompilation,collectivework,orderivativeworkmayhavesignificantconsequencesinacopyrightinfringementaction.Forexample,whenawebsiteconsistingpredominantlyofphotographsisregisteredasacompilation,acourtmayissueonlyoneawardofstatutorydamagesforallthephotographscoveredbythatregistration.Thatisnotnecessarilythecase,however,ifthephotographsare(i)unpublishedandareregisteredasanunpublishedcollection(ifnoselectionorarrangementisclaimed),or(ii)arepublishedandareregisteredusingthegroupregistrationoptionforgroupsofpublishedphotographs.See37C.F.R.§202.3(b)(4),(b)(10).Thus,iftheapplicantonlyintentstoregisterindividualworksonawebsite,suchasanunpublishedcollectionofphotographstheapplicantmaywanttoincludeastatementintheapplicationthattheclaimantclaimsnoauthorshipintheselection,coordination,and/orarrangementofworkswithinthewebsite.WhencompletinganonlineapplicationthisstatementmaybeprovidedintheNotetoCopyrightOfficefield.Whencompletingapaperapplicationitmaybeprovidedinacoverletter.

Forinformationconcerningunpublishedcollectionsandthegroupregistrationoptionsforpublishedphotographs,seeChapter1100,Sections1106and1116.Foradiscussionofderivativeworks,compilations,andcollectiveworks,seeChapter500,Sections507through509.Forageneraldiscussionofpublicationissuesinvolvingwebsitecontent,seeSection1008.3.

1009 Application Tips for Websites and Website Content

ThisSectionprovidesbasicinformationonhowtocompleteanonlineapplicationorpaperapplicationforawebsiteorwebsitecontent,aswellastermstouseandtermstoavoidwhendescribingtheauthorshipinsuchworks.

Fordetailedinformationonhowtocompleteanapplication,seeChapter600.

1009.1 Type of Work

Manywebsitescontainmultipleformsofauthorship,includingtext,images,artwork,musicalworks,soundrecordings,videogames,computerprograms,audiovisualworks,amongothertypesofworks.IdentifyingthetypeofworkthatwillbesubmittedtotheU.S.CopyrightOfficeisthefirststepincompletinganapplication.

TheRegisterofCopyrightshasprescribedsixclassesofworksthatmayberegisteredwiththeOffice.Theapplicantshouldselecttheclassofworkthatismostappropriateforthetypeofcontentthattheapplicantintendstoregister.Whencompletinganonlineapplication,theapplicantshouldselecttheappropriateclassfromthedropdownmenumarkedTypeofWork.Whencompletingapaperapplication,theapplicantshouldusetheformthathasbeendesignatedforthetypeofcontentthatappearsinthework.

• LiteraryWorks:Whencompletinganonlineapplication,theapplicantshouldselect“LiteraryWork”ifthecontentprimarilycontainsnondramatictext,suchasarticles,blogentries,orthelike,orifthecontentprimaryconsistsofcomputerprograms,



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databases,compilationsofinformation,orotherworksthatareexpressedinnumbersorotherverbalornumericalsymbolsorindicia.

• WorksoftheVisualArts:Whencompletinganonlineapplication,theapplicantshouldselect“WorkoftheVisualArts”ifthecontentprimarilycontainsorconsistsofpictorialorgraphicmaterial,suchasartwork,images,drawings,illustrations,photographs,orthelike.Whencompletingapaperapplication,theapplicantshoulduseFormVA.

• WorksofthePerformingArts:Whencompletinganonlineapplication,theapplicantshouldselect“WorkofthePerformingArts”ifthecontentprimarilycontainsorconsistsofmusic,lyrics,scripts,choreography,orotherworksthatareintendedtobeperformedforanaudience.Whencompletingapaperapplication,theapplicantshoulduseFormPA.

• SoundRecordings:Whencompletinganonlineapplication,theapplicantmustselect“SoundRecording”ifthecontentcontainsorconsistsofrecordedsound,eveniftheworkalsocontainsothertypesofauthorship,suchasmusicorlyrics.Whencompletingapaperapplication,theapplicantmustuseFormSR.

NOTE:Thereisalimitedexceptiontothisrule.Ifthecontentconsistsofsoundsaccompanyingamotionpictureorotheraudiovisualwork,theapplicantshouldselect“motionpicture/audiovisualmaterial”orshoulduseFormPA.

• MotionPicture/AudiovisualMaterial:Whencompletinganonlineapplication,theapplicantshouldselect“MotionPicture/AVWork”ifthecontentprimarilycontainsorconsistsofmotionpicturesorotheraudiovisualworks.Whencompletingapaperapplication,theapplicantshoulduseFormPA.

• SingleSerialIssue:Whencompletinganonlineapplication,theapplicantshouldselect“SingleSerialIssue”ifthecontentconsistsofasingleissueofaserialpublication,suchasanewsletterthatispublishedanddistributedonlineorviaemailasaself-contained,downloadablework.Whencompletingapaperapplication,theapplicantshoulduseFormSE.

Ifthecontentcontainsmorethanonetypeofauthorship,theapplicantshouldselecttheoptionthatisappropriateforthepredominantformofauthorshipthatappearsinthedepositcopy(ies)orphonorecord(s).Forexample,theapplicantshouldselect“literarywork”toregisterablogthatmostlyconsistsoftext,eveniftheblogcontainssomeimagesthataccompanythetext.Bycontrast,theapplicantshouldselect“workofthevisualarts”toregisteralibraryofphotographsorawebsitethatprimarilyconsistsofclipart.

Foradditionalguidanceinselectingtheappropriatetypeofwork,seeChapter600,Section609.2.

1009.2 Title of This Work

Theapplicantshouldprovidethetitleofthecontentthatwillbesubmittedforregistration,includinganysubtitles.Whencompletinganonlineapplication,the



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applicantshouldprovidethisinformationontheTitlescreeninthefieldmarkedTitleofThisWork.Whencompletingapaperapplication,theapplicantshouldprovidethisinformationonspace1oftheapplication.

TheOfficestronglyencouragesapplicantstoprovideatitleforeachworkthatwillbesubmitted.Interestedpartiestypicallysearchforworksbytitleanditmaybeextremelydifficulttofindaparticularworkiftheapplicantfailstoprovidethatinformationintheapplication.Iftheauthorhasnotselectedaformaltitleforthecontent,theapplicantmayprovideadescriptivetitlethatidentifiestheauthorofthecontent,thetypeofcontentthattheauthorcreated,orotherpertinentinformationthatcanbereasonablyidentifiedinasearchoftheU.S.CopyrightOffice’sonlinedatabase.

Examples:

• ZehraSalimownsawebsitecalled“Zehra'sArtStore,”whichsellsartsupplies.Zehracreatedalogoforthesitethatfeaturesapaintbrushsuperimposedonacompass.Toregisterthislogotheapplicantmayprovideadescriptivetitle,suchas“LogoartworkforZehra'sArtStore,”“Paintbrush/compasslogoforZehra'sArtStore,”orthelike.

• CristinePrelleownsafanwebsitecalled“WildAboutOscar,”whichcelebratesthecareerofOscarWilde.Toregistertheentirecontentofherwebsite,ChristinemayprovidetheURLforthesiteoradescriptivetitleforthesiteasawhole,suchas“OscarWildefanwebsite.”

TheelectronicregistrationsystemwillaccepttitlesconsistingofRomanlettersand/orArabicnumerals,butitwillnotacceptatitlethathasbeenunderlined.WhenprovidingaURLasthetitleforawebsite,theapplicantmayincludethesuffixthatidentifiesfortopleveldomainnameforthesite,suchas.com,.net,or.org,butapplicantsshouldnotincludetheprefixes“www,”“http://”orothergenericintroductoryphrases.

Examples:

• PetSupplies.com.

• Backtoschool.org(2012version).

• IrvingtonHistoricalSocietywebsite.

Foradditionalguidanceincompletingthetitlefield/spaceoftheapplication,seeChapter600,Section610.

1009.3 Year of Completion

Theapplicantmustidentifytheyearthattheauthorcompletedthewebsiteorwebsitecontentthattheapplicantintendstoregister.Theapplicantshouldonlyprovideayearofcompletionforthespecificversionthatwillbesubmittedforregistration.The



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applicantshouldnotprovideayearofcompletionforanyotherversionthatwillnotbesubmittedtotheOffice.

Whencompletinganonlineapplication,theapplicantshouldprovidetheyearofcompletiononthePublication/Creationscreen;whencompletingapaperapplicationtheapplicantshouldprovidethisinformationinspace3(a).Forguidanceincompletingthisportionoftheapplication,seeChapter600,Section611.

Theyearofcompletionmayvarydependingonthetypeofcontentthattheapplicantintendstoregister.Ifthecontentisadiscreteworkcontainedonawebsite,theyearofcompletionistypicallytheyearthattheauthorcompletedthatworkinitsfinalform.Iftheapplicantintendstoregistermultipleworksthatwerecreatedoveraperiodofmorethanyear,theapplicantmayprovidetheyearofcompletionforthemostrecentworkthatwillbesubmittedforregistration.

Iftheapplicantintendstoregisterthecollectiveauthorshipinthewebsiteasawhole,theyearofcompletionmayvarydependingonwhetherthewebsiteispublishedorunpublished.Ifthewebsitehasbeenpublished,theyearofcompletionmustprecedeorbethesameasthedateoffirstpublicationforthespecificcontentthatisclaimedintheapplication.Ifthewebsiteisdeemedunpublished(i.e.,asitethatisauthorizedonlyforpublicdisplayorpublicperformance),theOfficewillacceptanyyearofcompletionthatprecedesthedatethattheapplicationwassubmitted.

Iftheapplicantintendstoregistercontentthatisfrequentlyrevisedorupdated,suchasanewswebsiteorblog,theapplicantshouldprovidetheyearofcompletionforthecontentthatisreflectedinthedepositcopy(ies)(i.e.,themostrecentyearthatisreflectedinthedepositmaterial).Iftheapplicantprovidesayearofcompletionforanearlierversionofthewebsite,butdoesnotsubmitadepositcontainingthatversion,orprovidesayearofcompletionforanyothercontentthatisnotcontainedinthedepositcopy(ies),theregistrationspecialistmaycommunicatewiththeapplicant,whichwilldelaytheexaminationoftheclaim.

Example:

• Precious&PaulieLLCoperatesawebsitethatfeaturescatvideos.Thecompanysubmitsanapplicationtoregistertheentirecontentofthissite.Theapplicationstatesthattheworkwascompletedin2014,butthedepositmaterialcontainsastatementthatreads“lastupdated2012.”Theregistrationspecialistwillcommunicatewiththeapplicanttoverifytheyearofcompletion.

1009.4 Date and Nation of First Publication

Whencompletinganapplication,theapplicant—nottheU.S.CopyrightOffice—mustdeterminewhethertheworkispublishedorunpublished.Thismaybedifficultwhentheapplicantintendstoregisterawebsiteorwebsitecontent.Oftentimes,thewebsiteasawholemaybeviewedasanunpublishedwork,buttheparticularcontentthatappearsonthesitemaybedeemedpublishedifithasbeenexplicitlyauthorizedfordistribution(e.g.,withabuttonthatenablesusersto“download”websitecontent,an



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iconthatinvitesusersto“save”websitecontent,orafeaturethatallowsuserstotransmitcontentbyemailorothermeans).

Asageneralrule,theOfficewillaccepttheapplicant’srepresentationthataworkispublishedorunpublished,unlessthatstatementisimplausibleoriscontradictedbyinformationprovidedelsewhereintheregistrationmaterialsorintheOffice’srecordsorbyinformationthatisknownbytheregistrationspecialist.

Iftheapplicantdeterminesthattheworkhasbeenauthorizedfordistributiontothepublic,theapplicantmustidentifythedateandnationoffirstpublicationforthatwork.Inmostcases,thedateoffirstpublicationisthedatethattheworkwaspostedonlinewiththeauthorizationofthecopyrightowner.

Iftheapplicantintendstoregistermultipleworksandifthoseworkswerepublishedonsuccessivedates,theapplicantgenerallyshouldsubmitaseparateapplicationwithaseparatedateofpublicationforeachwork.Likewise,separateapplicationsandseparatepublicationdatesmayberequirediftheapplicantintendstoregistermultipleversionsofthesameworkandifeachversionwasdistributedonadifferentdate.Indeed,everyworkthatisaddedtoawebsitemayconstituteaderivativeworkoracontributiontoacollectivework,andaseparateapplicationandseparatepublicationdatemayberequiredforeachdatethatnewmaterialhasbeenauthorizedfordistributiononthatsite.Insomecasestheapplicantmayneedtolimittheclaimtoeachindividualworkthatwasaddedtothewebsiteonaparticulardate,whileinothercasestheapplicantmayneedtoexcludepreviouslypublishedmaterialthatwasdistributedonthewebsiteonanearlierdate.

Bycontrast,iftheapplicantdeterminesthattheworkwasplacedonlinesolelyforthepurposeofpublicdisplayorpublicperformance,theworkmaybedeemedunpublished.Anapplicationforanunpublishedworkmaycoverallofthecopyrightablematerialcontainedinthedepositcopy(ies)thatisownedbythecopyrightclaimant,providedthatthematerialhasnotbeenpreviouslypublishedorpreviouslyregisteredwiththeOffice.AsdiscussedinSection1008.6(B),itmayalsobepossibletoregisteranumberofunpublishedworkswithoneapplication,onefilingfee,andonesetofdepositcopiesiftheapplicantsatisfiestherequirementsforregisteringtheworksasanunpublishedcollection.Iftheapplicantsubsequentlydecidestoregisterunpublishedmaterialthatwasaddedtothewebsiteatalaterdate,theapplicantmayseekanewregistrationforthenewmaterialwhenthecopyrightownerdeterminesthatfurtherprotectionisdesirable.

1009.4(A) Date of Publication

Whencompletinganonlineapplication,theapplicantwillbeaskedtoprovidepublicationinformationonthePublication/Completionscreen.Iftheapplicantdeterminesthattheworkhasbeenpublished,theapplicantshouldselect“yes”inthedropdownmenumarked“Hasthisworkbeenpublished?”Inaddition,theapplicantshouldprovidethemonth,day,andyearthattheworkwaspublishedforthefirsttime.Specifically,theapplicantshouldprovidethedatethattheworkwasfirstdistributedorthedatethattheworkwasofferedtoagroupofpersonsforthepurposeoffurtherdistribution,performance,ordisplay(whicheverisearlier).Asageneralrule,theapplicantshouldonlyprovideadateoffirstpublicationforthespecificversionthatwill



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besubmittedforregistration.TheapplicantshouldnotprovideadateofpublicationforanyotherversionoftheworkthatwillnotbesubmittedtotheOffice.

Iftheapplicantdeterminesthattheworkisunpublished,theapplicantshouldselect“no”onthePublication/Completionscreen.

Whencompletingapaperapplicationtheapplicantshouldprovidethedateoffirstpublicationinspace3(b)undertheheadingmarked“DateandNationofPublicationofThisParticularWork.”Iftheworkhasnotbeenpublished,space3(b)shouldbeleftblank.

Foradditionalguidanceconcerningthisportionoftheapplication,seeChapter600,Section612.

1009.4(A)(1) Date of First Publication for the Original Version of a Work

Iftheapplicantintendstoregisteraworkthatwaspublishedontheoriginalversionofawebsite,theapplicantgenerallyshouldprovidethemonth,day,andyearthattheworkwasfirstpostedonthatsite.

Example:

• J.J.Coolcreatedawebsitetopromotehismusiccareer.OnMay18,2012heuploadedseveralsongsthathaveneverbeenpublishedbefore,andheofferedthemforsalefor$1.99apiece.J.J.intendstoregisterthewords,lyrics,andsoundrecordingsembodiedinthesesongs.J.J.submitsaseparateapplicationforeachwork,andineachcase,hestatesthattheworkwasfirstpublishedonMay18,2012.Theregistrationspecialistwillregistertheclaims.

1009.4(A)(2) Date of First Publication for Subsequent Versions of a Work

Iftheapplicantintendstoregisterarevisedversionofapublishedwebsite,theapplicantgenerallyshouldprovidethemonth,day,andyearthattherevisedcontentwasfirstpostedonthatsite.

Example:

• ZekeQuarryoperatesawebsitecalled“InternalRevolution,”whichcontainsacompilationofpublicdomainphotographsfromtheCivilWar.Usersmaydownloadcontentfromthewebsiteiftheypayasubscriptionfee.ZekelaunchedthesiteonDecember20,2004,andheintendstoregistertheselectionofimagesthatheaddedtothesiteonJanuary1,2013,June30,2013,andDecember31,2013.Zekesubmitsaseparateapplicationforeachbatchofimages,andhestatesthattheseupdateswerefirstpublishedonJanuary1,2013,June30,2013,andDecember31,2013.Ifeachcompilationcontainsasufficientamountofcreativeexpression,theregistrationspecialistwillregistertheseclaims.



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1009.4(A)(3) Content Published Online and in Hard Copy Form

Iftheapplicantdeterminesthattheworkwaspublishedbothonlineandinhardcopyform(e.g.,inphysicalcopiesorphonorecords),theapplicantshouldprovidethedatethattheworkwasfirstpublished,regardlessofwhetherthefirstpublicationoccurredonlineorinhardcopies.

1009.4(B) Nation of First Publication

Iftheapplicantdeterminesthattheworkhasbeenpublished,theapplicantmustidentifythenationoffirstpublication.TheOfficemayusethisinformationtodetermineiftheworkiseligibleforprotectionunderU.S.copyrightlaw.

WhencompletinganonlineapplicationtheapplicantshouldidentifythecountrywheretheworkwasfirstpublishedbyselectingoneofthecountrieslistedinthedropdownmenumarkedNationoffirstpublication.Whencompletingapaperapplication,theapplicationshouldprovidethisinformationonspace3(b)nexttotheheadingmarkedNation.Forguidanceincompletingthisportionoftheapplication,seeChapter600,Section612.

Asageneralrule,thenationoffirstpublicationisthecountrywherecopiesorphonorecordsoftheworkwerefirstpublishedwiththeauthorizationofthecopyrightowner.Thisdeterminationmaybedifficultwhentheapplicantintendstoregisterawebsiteorwebsitecontent,becausethelawinthisareaisunsettled.Ifthewebsitewasdirectedatusersinaparticularcountry(e.g.,awebsitewrittenentirelyinDanishwithadomainnameendinginthesuffix.dk),thatcountrycouldbedeemedthenationoffirstpublicationforpurposesofcopyrightregistration.Thelocationoftheserverwheretheworkresidesand/orthescopeoftheintendedaudiencemayalsoberelevanttothisissue.

Uponrequest,theOfficewillprovidetheapplicantwithgeneralinformationabouttheCopyrightActandthelegislativehistoryforthestatute,includingthestatutorydefinitionofpublicationandtheprovisionsconcerningnationofpublication.However,theOfficewillnotgivespecificlegaladviceonwhetheraworkhasorhasnotbeenpublishedwithinaparticularcountry.Instead,theOfficeleavesthisdeterminationtotheapplicantandthecourts,becausetheyareinabetterpositiontoassessthecompletefactsinanyparticularsituation.

1009.5 Name of Author

Theapplicantshouldidentifyalloftheauthorswhocreatedorco-createdthecopyrightablecontentthatisclaimedintheapplication.

Whencompletinganonlineapplication,theapplicantshouldprovidetheauthor’sfullnameontheAuthorsscreen.Ifthecontentwascreatedbyanindividual,theapplicantshouldprovidethatperson’sfullnameinthefieldmarkedIndividualAuthor.Ifthecontentwascreatedbyoronbehalfofalegalentity,suchasacorporation,partnership,orotherorganization,theapplicantshouldprovidethatentity’snameinthefieldmarkedOrganization.Iftheworkswerecreatedbymorethanoneauthor,theapplicantshouldcompletetherelevantfields,clicktheSavebutton,andthenrepeatthisprocessfortheotherauthors.



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Iftheauthorcreatedthecontentasaworkmadeforhire,theapplicantshouldselect“yes”inresponsetothequestion“Isthisauthor’scontributionaworkmadeforhire?”(Foradefinitionanddiscussionofworksmadeforhire,seeChapter500,Section506.)Ifthecontentwascreatedbyanemployeeactingwithinthescopeofhisorheremployment,theemployershouldbenamedastheauthor(nottheemployee).Ifthecontentwasspeciallyorderedorcommissionedasaworkmadeforhire,thepersonororganizationthatorderedorcommissionedtheworkshouldbelistedastheauthor(ratherthantheindividualwhoactuallycreatedthework).

NOTE: Whenassertingaclaimincopyrightablewebdesignauthorship,thewebdesigner(s)shouldbenamedastheauthorunlessthedesignercreatedthewebsiteunderaworkforhireagreement.

Inallcases,theapplicantshouldprovidetheauthor’scountryofcitizenshipordomicile.TheOfficemayusethisinformationtodetermineiftheworkiseligibleforprotectionunderU.S.copyrightlaw.Iftheapplicantfailstoprovidethisinformation,theapplicationwillnotbeacceptedbytheelectronicregistrationsystem.Iftheauthor’scitizenshipordomicileisunknown,theapplicantmayselect“notknown”fromthedropdownmenu.

Whencompletingapaperapplication,theapplicantshouldprovidetheauthor’sfullnameandhisorhercountryofcitizenshipand/ordomicileonspace2(a).Ifthecontentwascreatedbymorethanoneauthor,theapplicantshouldprovidethisinformationfortheotherauthorsonspaces2(b)and2(c).Ifthecontentwascreatedbymorethanthreeauthors,theapplicantshouldprovidethisinformationonFormCON.

Ifthecontentqualifiesasananonymousworkorpseudonymouswork,theapplicantmaychecktheappropriateboxesthatappearontheAuthorsscreenoftheonlineapplicationorinspace2ofthepaperapplication.Foradefinitionanddiscussionofanonymousworksandpseudonymousworks,seeChapter600,Sections615.1and615.2.

ForadditionalguidanceinprovidingtheAuthor’sName,seeChapter600,Section613.9.Forguidanceinprovidingtheauthor’scitizenshipanddomicile,seeChapter600,Section617.

1009.6 Author Created / Nature of Authorship Statements

Toregisterawebsiteorwebsitecontenttheapplicantmustidentifythecopyrightableauthorshipthatwillbesubmittedforregistrationandtheapplicantmustassertaclaimtocopyrightinthatauthorship.Ifthecontentwascreatedbyasingleauthor,theapplicantshouldclearlyidentifythecopyrightableauthorshipthattheauthorcontributedtothatwork.Ifthecontentwascreatedorco-createdbytwoormoreauthors,theapplicantshouldclearlyidentifythecopyrightableauthorshipthateachauthorcontributedtowork.However,theapplicantshouldnotdescribeanyuncopyrightablematerialordeminimiselementsthatappearinthecontent.

Whencompletinganonlineapplication,theapplicantshouldprovidethisinformationontheAuthorsscreen.Specifically,theapplicantshouldcheckoneormoreoftheboxesintheAuthorCreatedfieldthataccuratelydescribetheauthor’scontributiontothecontent.Ifnoneofthesetermsfullydescribethecontentthatwillbesubmittedfor



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registration,theapplicantshouldprovideamorespecificdescriptioninthefieldmarked“Other.”Forguidanceoncompletingthisfield,seeChapter600,Section618.4(A).

Whencompletingapaperapplication,theapplicantshouldprovidethisinformationinthespacemarkedNatureofAuthorship.Forguidanceincompletingthisportionoftheapplication,seeChapter600,Section618.4(B).

NOTE:Thedepositcopy(ies)mustcontainalloftheauthorshipthatisclaimedintheAuthorCreatedfieldortheNatureofAuthorshipspace.Iftheapplicantassertsaclaimincontentthatdoesnotappearinthedepositcopy(ies),theregistrationspecialistmaycommunicatewiththeapplicantormayrefusetoregisterthataspectoftheclaim.Formoreinformationonthedepositrequirements,seeSection1010.

1009.6(A) Acceptable Terminology for an Application to Register a Website or Website Content

Asageneralrule,thefollowingtermsmaybeusedtodescribethecopyrightablecontentonawebsite,providedthattheyaccuratelydescribetheauthorshipthatappearsinthedepositcopy(ies).Inmostcases,theOfficewillacceptcombinationsorvariantformsoftheseterms,unlesstheyarecontradictedbyinformationprovidedinthedepositcopy(ies)orelsewhereintheregistrationmaterials.

Literarycontent:

• Text

Visualartscontent:

• Artworkor2-Dartwork

• Photographs

• Drawings

• Technicaldrawings

• Map

• Architecturalwork

Performingartscontent:

• Music

• Lyrics

• Script

• Choreographicwork

• Pantomime

Recordedsounds:

• Soundrecording



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• Performance

• Production

Audiovisualcontent:

• Audiovisualwork

• Motionpicture

Foradefinitionanddiscussionoftheseterms,seeChapter600,Section618.4(C).

Toregisteracomputerprogramoradatabasethatiscontainedorembeddedwithinawebsite,theapplicantshouldfollowtheinstructionssetforthinChapter700,Sections721.9(F)and727.3(D).

Toregisteraderivativework,theapplicantshoulddescribethenewmaterialthattheauthorcontributedtothewebsiteusingappropriateterms,suchas“newphotographs,”“updatedtext,”“revisedartwork,”“additionalmusic,”orthelike.

Iftheapplicantintendstoregistertheauthorshipinvolvedinselecting,coordinating,and/orarrangingthecontentthatappearsonawebsite,theapplicantmayuseanyofthetermslistedbelow,providedthattheyaccuratelydescribethecopyrightableauthorshipthatappearsinthedepositcopy(ies).Inmostcases,theOfficewillacceptcombinationsorvariantformsoftheseterms,unlesstheyarecontradictedbyinformationprovidedinthedepositcopy(ies)orelsewhereintheregistrationmaterials.

• Compilationof[specifymaterialthathasbeenselected,coordinated,and/orarranged,e.g.,“compilationoftextandartwork”].

• Selection,coordination,and/orarrangementof[specifymaterialthathasbeenselected,coordinated,and/orarranged,e.g.“selectionandarrangementoftextandphotographs”].

Foradditionalguidanceinregisteringcompilationauthorship,seeChapter600,Section618.6.

NOTE: Websitesoftencontainpreviouslypublishedmaterial,previouslyregisteredmaterial,publicdomainmaterial,ormaterialownedbyathirdparty.Ifthedepositcopy(ies)containanappreciableamountofunclaimablematerial,thenasdiscussedinSection1009.8theapplicantshouldexcludethatmaterialfromtheclaim.Forinformationconcerningthisprocedure,seeSection1009.8.

1009.6(B) Unclear Terminology for an Application to Register Website Content

Theapplicantshouldclearlyidentifytheauthorshipthatwillbesubmittedforregistrationandtheclaimtocopyrightinthatauthorshipshouldbeclearlystated.Specifically,theapplicantshouldidentifythecopyrightableauthorshipthattheauthorcontributedtothewebsiteorthewebsitecontent,preferablyusingoneormoreofthetermssetforthinSection1009.6(A).Iftheclaimtocopyrightisunclear,theregistrationspecialistmaycommunicatewiththeapplicantormayrefuseregistration.For



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representativeexamplesofuncleartermsthatmaypromptacommunicationfromtheregistrationspecialist,seeChapter600,Sections618.8(A)(1)through618.8(A)(11).

1009.6(C) Unacceptable Terminology for an Application to Register a Website or Website Content

AsdiscussedinSection1006,awebsitedoesnotconstitutecopyrightablesubjectmatterinandofitself.Theapplicantshouldnotusetheterm“website,”“webpage,”“screen,”orthelikeintheAuthorCreatedfieldortheNatureofAuthorshipspace,becausethesetermsarevague,misleading,andfailtoidentifytheparticularauthorshipthattheauthorcontributedtothework.

Iftheapplicantassertsaclaiminboththecopyrightableanduncopyrightablefeaturesofawebsite,theregistrationspecialistmayannotatetheapplicationtoindicatethattheregistrationdoesnotextendtotheuncopyrightablefeatures.Iftheapplicantexpresslyassertsaclaimtocopyrightinanyfeatureofthewebsitethatisuncopyrightable,thespecialistmaycommunicatewiththeapplicantormayrefuseregistrationiftheclaimappearstobebasedsolelyonthosefeatures.Examplesofunacceptabletermsincludethefollowingoranycombinationofthefollowing:

• Concept

• Design(s)

• Format

• Layout

• Lettering

• Lookandfeel

• Website

• Websitedesign

• Webpage

• Screen

• Entirework,entirewebsite,orsimilarterms

• Hyperlinks

• Hyperlinkstructure

• Menuchoices

• Userinterface

• Gameplay

1009.7 Claimant

Theapplicantmustprovidethenameandaddressoftheownerorco-ownersofthecopyrightableauthorshipthatisclaimedintheapplication.Thispartyisknownasthe



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copyrightclaimant.Theclaimant(s)maybetheauthor(s)ofthework,orapartythatownsalloftheexclusiverightsthatinitiallybelongedtotheauthorofthatwork.Iftheauthorandtheclaimantarenotthesameperson,theapplicantshouldprovideabriefstatementthatexplainshowtheclaimantacquiredtherightsthatinitiallybelongedtotheauthor.

WhencompletinganonlineapplicationtheapplicantshouldprovidethisinformationontheAuthorandClaimantscreens;whencompletingapaperapplicationtheapplicantshouldprovidethisinformationonspaces2and4.Forguidanceoncompletingtheseportionsoftheapplication,seeChapter600,Sections613and619.

Websiteownersfrequentlyassumethattheyownthecopyrightincodeorothercontentthatwascreatedforthembyanindependentcontractor,becausetheownerpaidforthecontentorpaidthecontractortocreatethatmaterial.Insuchcases,thewebsiteownerdoesnotownthecontentunlessthecontractoragreedtocreatethecontentpursuanttoaworkmadeforhireagreementorexecutedawrittenagreementthatassignedthecopyrightinthatmaterialtothewebsiteowner.Likewise,awebsiteownercannotassertaclaiminwebsitecontentiftheownermerelyownsaphysicalcopyofthatcontentormerelyhasanonexclusivelicensetousethatmaterial.

Examples:

• KariCrowisawebdesignerwhocreatedanillustrationforagardeningwebsite.Kariisnotanemployeeofthewebsiteownerandshedidnottransferownershipofthecopyrighttothatparty.Therefore,theapplicantshouldnameKariCrowastheauthorandclaimantforthisillustration.IfKaricontributedmultipleillustrationstothewebsite,eachillustrationmustberegisteredseparately.

• DizzyDogLLCownsandoperatesawebsitethatsellsdozensofbeatsforuseonhiphoptracks.Thecompanyemploystwoproducerswhocreatedthesebeatsforthewebsite.DizzyDogLLCshouldbenamedastheauthorandclaimantforeachwork,andineachcasetheworkmadeforhireboxshouldbechecked“yes.”

1009.8 Limitation of Claim

AsdiscussedinSection1008.1,aregistrationforawebsiteorwebsitecontentcoversthecopyrightablematerialthatwascreatedbytheauthor(s)namedintheapplicationthatisownedbytheclaimantnamedintheapplication,providedthatthematerialisexpresslydescribedintheapplicationandiscontainedinthedepositcopy(ies).

AregistrationforawebsiteorwebsitecontentdoesnotcoveranymaterialthathasbeenpreviouslypublishedorpreviouslyregisteredwiththeU.S.CopyrightOffice.Nordoesitcovermaterialthatisinthepublicdomainormaterialthatisnotownedbythecopyrightclaimant.Ifthewebsitecontainsanappreciableamountofpreviouslypublishedmaterial,previouslyregisteredmaterial,publicdomainmaterial,orthirdpartymaterial,theapplicantshouldexcludethatmaterialfromtheclaim.



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• Previouslypublishedmaterial:Frequentlyapplicantssubmitwebsitesorwebsitecontentthatcontainpreviouslypublishedmaterial,butfailtoexcludethatmaterialfromtheclaim.Ifthedepositcopy(ies)containmaterial,thatwaspublishedonanydayortwenty-fourperiodpriortothedateoffirstpublicationspecifiedintheapplication,theapplicantshouldexcludethatmaterialusingtheproceduredescribedinChapter600,Section621.8(B).Whencompletinganonlineapplication,theapplicantshouldidentifythepreviouslypublishedmaterialontheLimitationofClaimscreenintheMaterialExcludedfield.Whencompletingapaperapplication,theapplicantshouldidentifythismaterialinspace6(a)undertheheadingmarkedPreexistingMaterial.

• Previouslyregisteredmaterial:Ifthedepositcopy(ies)containmaterialthathasbeenpreviouslyregistered,theapplicantshouldexcludethatmaterialfromtheclaim(regardlessofwhetherthematerialispublishedorunpublished).Specifically,theapplicantshouldprovidetheregistrationnumberandyearofregistrationforthepreviouslyregisteredmaterialinthePreviousRegistrationfieldoftheonlineapplicationorinspace5ofthepaperapplication.Forguidanceincompletingthisportionoftheapplication,seeChapter600,Section621.8(F).

• Contentownedbyathirdparty:Ifthedepositcopy(ies)containcontentthatisownedbysomeoneotherthantheclaimant,theapplicantshouldexcludethatcontentfromtheclaim(regardlessofwhetherthecontentispublishedorunpublished).Whencompletinganonlineapplication,theapplicantshouldidentifythethirdpartycontentintheMaterialExcludedfield.Whencompletingapaperapplicationtheapplicantshouldprovidethisinformationinspace6(a).Forguidanceincompletingthisportionoftheapplication,seeChapter600,Sections621.7and621.8(B).

• Publicdomainmaterial:Ifthedepositcopy(ies)containmaterialthatisinthepublicdomain,theapplicantshouldidentifythatmaterialintheMaterialExcludedfieldoftheonlineapplicationorinspace6(ab)ofthepaperapplication.Forguidanceincompletingthisportionoftheapplication,seeChapter600,Sections621.7and621.8(B).

Inaddition,theapplicantshouldidentifythenewcopyrightablematerialthattheauthorcontributedtothewebsiteorthewebsitecontent.Whencompletinganonlineapplication,theapplicantshouldprovidethisinformationontheLimitationofClaimscreen.Specifically,theapplicantshouldcheckoneormoreoftheboxesintheNewMaterialIncludedfieldthataccuratelydescribestheauthor’scontribution.Ifnoneofthesetermsfullydescribethenewmaterialthattheauthorcontributedtothewebsite,theapplicantshouldprovideamorespecificdescriptioninthefieldmarkedOther.Forguidanceoncompletingthisfield,seeChapter600,Section621.8(C)(1).

Whencompletingapaperapplication,theapplicantshouldprovidethisinformationinspace6(b)undertheheadingmarkedMaterialAddedtoThisWork.Forguidanceincompletingthisportionoftheapplication,seeChapter600,Section621.8(C)(2).

NOTE: TheNewMaterialIncludedfieldshouldbecompletedonlyifmaterialhasbeenexcludedfromtheclaimintheMaterialExcludedfield.Likewise,space6(b)ofthepaper



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applicationshouldbecompletedonlyifmaterialhasbeenexcludedfromtheclaiminspace6(a).

Asageneralrule,theinformationthattheapplicantprovidesintheNewMaterialIncludedfieldshouldbeidenticaltotheinformationthattheapplicantprovidesintheAuthorCreatedfield.Likewise,theinformationthattheapplicantprovidesinspace6(a)ofthepaperapplicationshouldbeidenticaltotheinformationthatthattheapplicantprovidesinspace2undertheheadingmarkedNatureofAuthorship.

Theapplicantshouldonlyidentifythenewmaterialcreatedbytheauthor(s)namedintheapplicationthatisownedbythecopyrightclaimant.Theapplicantshouldnotmentionanymaterialthatisnotownedbytheclaimant,materialthatwillnotbesubmittedforregistration,ormaterialthatdoesnotappearinthedepositcopy(ies).Ifthereisanythingintheregistrationmaterialthatcastsdoubtontheaccuracyoftheclaim,theregistrationspecialistmaycommunicatewiththeapplicant.

Example:

• AlexanderTemplewritesablogcalled“Don’tTreadOnMe.”Theblogcontainsmusingsaboutpolitics,togetherwithphotographscreatedbytheDepartmentofHomelandSecurity,theDepartmentofDefense,andotherfederalgovernmentagencies.Alexandersubmitsanonlineapplicationtoalongwithprintoutsfromhisblog.Intheapplication,Alexanderassertsaclaiminhis“website,”buthefailstocompletetheLimitationofClaimscreen.Theregistrationspecialistwillasktheapplicanttodescribethenewmaterialthathecontributedtothissitebycheckingtheboxesmarkedas“text”and“compilationoftextandphotographs”intheAuthorCreatedfieldandtheNewMaterialIncludedfields.Thephotographsappeartobeinthepublicdomain,becausetheywerecreatedbyemployeesoftheU.S.government.Therefore,thespecialistwillasktheapplicanttoexcludethatmaterialfromtheclaimbycheckingtheboxmarked“photographs”intheMaterialExcludedfield.

1010 Deposit Requirements for Website Content

ThisSectionprovidesbasicinformationconcerningthedepositrequirementsforregisteringawebsiteorwebsitecontent.Fordetailedinformationconcerningtheserequirements,seeChapter1500.

Forinformationconcerningmandatorydeposit,seeSection1010.7.

1010.1 Deposit Requirements for Registration

Toregisterawebsiteorwebsitecontent,theapplicantmustsubmitadepositcontainingthecopyrightablecontentthatisclaimedintheapplication.

Whenexaminingthedepositforawebsiteorwebsitecontent,theU.S.CopyrightOfficewillapplythesamerulesthatapplytoanyothertypeofwork.Forexample,theregistrationspecialistwillconsiderthetypeofauthorshipthatisclaimedinthe



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application,whethertheworkispublishedorunpublished,andwhethertheapplicantsatisfiedtheapplicabledepositrequirementsforthattypeofwork.

Iftheworkisunpublished,thedepositcopymayincludeallofthecontentthatisownedbythecopyrightclaimantasofthedatethattheapplicationissubmitted.Iftheworkhasbeenpublished,thedepositcopiesshouldincludethecontentasitexistedonthedateoffirstpublicationspecifiedintheapplication,andtheclaimshouldbelimitedtothecontentthatwasfirstpublishedonthedate.

Thedepositmustcontainacompletecopyofallthecopyrightableauthorshipthatisclaimedintheapplicationorappropriateidentifyingmaterial(ifidentifyingmaterialisanacceptableformofdepositforthattypeofwork).Forexample,toregisteranentirewebsite,theapplicantshouldsubmitadepositcontainingalltheauthorshipthattheapplicantintendstoregister,regardlessofthenumberofpagesorscreensthatappearonthesite.Toregisteraparticularworkcontainedonawebsite,theapplicantshouldsubmitanappropriatedepositforthattypeofwork.Toregistertheauthorshipinvolvedinselecting,coordinating,and/orarrangingworksonawebsite,theapplicantmustsubmitadepositthatadequatelydisplaysthecompilationauthorshipthatisclaimedintheapplication.

Inallcases,theapplicantmustsubmitfixedcopy(ies)orphonorecord(s)oftheworkthattheapplicantintendstoregister.TheU.S.CopyrightOfficewillnotacceptalinktoawebsiteorotheronlinesourcethatmerelyprovidesaccesstocontentthatcontinuallychanges.

Thefixedcopy(ies)orphonorecord(s)shouldbesubmittedinaformatthatallowstheregistrationspecialisttoperceivetheactualcontentandcontextwheretheworkappearsonagivenwebsiteorwebpage.Inotherwords,thedepositshouldshowhowthecontentwouldbeperceivedwhenauseraccessesthatcontentintheonlineenvironment.Thespecialistmaycommunicatewiththeapplicantormayrefuseregistrationiftheapplicantshouldnotsubmitsseparatefilesorfolderscontainingunassembledcontentorcontentthathasbeendisassociatedfromthewebsiteorwebpagewhereitoriginallyappeared.

Asthetechnologicalmeansoffixingandnormalizingwebsitesandtheircontentevolveintoeasiersolutionsandstandardizedformats,theOfficewillseektoprovideadditionalguidanceonthefixationofwebsites.Atthepresenttime,thePDFformatstandardisthepreferredmeansforsubmittingwebsitesandwebsitecontent.ForinformationconcerningthisformatandthemethodsforsubmittingthedeposittotheOffice,seeSection1010.3.

Asageneralrule,aregistrationforawebsiteorforwebsitecontentdoesnotcoveranyauthorshiporworksthatarenotincludedinthedeposit.However,thereisalimitedexceptiontothisrule.Aregistrationforacomputerprogramordatabasemaycovertheentirework,eveniftheapplicantsubmitsonlyaportionofthesourcecodeforthatprogramorarepresentativeselectionoftherecordsfromthedatabase.Forinformationconcerningthedepositrequirementsforthesetypesofworks,seeChapter1500,Sections1509.1(C)and1509.1(D).



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Theregistrationspecialistmaycommunicatewiththeapplicantifthedepositappearsincomplete.Iftheworkisrelativelyshort(basedonthenumberofprintedpagesordownloadedpagesthatwillbesubmitted),theapplicantshouldsubmittheentirewebsiteandshouldprovideabriefstatementconfirmingthatthedepositcontainsthecompletesite.Thismayavoidtheneedtocommunicatewiththeapplicanttodeterminewhethertheentireworkhasbeensubmitted.Whencompletinganonlineapplication,theapplicantmayprovidethisinformationintheNotetoCopyrightOfficefield.Whencompletingapaperapplication,theapplicantmayprovidethisinformationinacoverletter.

1010.2 Deposit Requirements for Works Published Online and in Hard Copy Format

Iftheworkwaspublishedbothonlineandinahardcopyform(e.g.,paper,discs,film,orotherphysicallytangiblemedia),theapplicantgenerallyshouldsubmittwocompletecopy(ies)orphonorecord(s)oftheworkasitwasfirstpublishedinthehardcopyformat.See37C.F.R.§202.20(b)(1).Forexample,ifanarticlenovelwaspublishedsimultaneouslyonawebsiteandinamagazineasbothanebookandahardcoverbook,theapplicantmustsubmittwocompletecopiesofthearticleasitappearedinthemagazinehardcoveredition.Forinformationconcerningthedepositrequirementsforworkspublishedinhardcopyformats,seeChapter1500,Sections1507.1and1508.2.

Forcertaintypesofworks,theapplicantmustcomplywiththebesteditionrequirements.ThecriteriausedtodeterminethebesteditionforaInparticular,anapplicantmayberequiredtosubmittwocompletecopiesofthebesteditioniftheworkwaspublishedintheUnitedStatesonorafterJanuary1,1978.Thecriteriausedtoidentifythebesteditionforaparticularworkarelistedinarelistedinthe“BestEditionStatement,””whichissetforthinAppendixBtoPart202oftheOffice’sregulations.TheBestEditionStatementItisalsopostedontheOffice’swebsiteinBestEditionofPublishedCopyrightedWorksfortheCollectionsoftheLibraryofCongress(Circular7B:BestEditionofPublishedCopyrightedWorksfortheCollectionsoftheLibraryofCongress(www.copyright.gov/circs/circ07b.pdf).7b).Formoreinformationconcerningthebesteditionrequirement,seeChapter1500,Section1504.

1010.3 Deposit Requirements for Unpublished Works and Works Published Solely Online

Inmostcases,theapplicantdoesnotneedtosatisfythebesteditionrequirementsrequirementinordertoregisterawebsiteortoregisteraworkthathasbeenpublishedsolelyonline(althoughasdiscussedinSection1010.6(H),thereisalimitedexceptiontothisruleforelectronicserials).Instead,theapplicantmaysubmitanelectroniccopyofthework,providedthattheapplicantsubmitsthedepositinanacceptablefileformat.AcurrentlistofacceptablefileformatsispostedontheOffice’swebsiteatwww.copyright.gov/eco/help-file-types.html.Inthealternative,theapplicantmaysubmitidentifyingmaterialthatadequatelyrepresentstheauthorshipclaimedintheapplication.

Thepreferredformatsandmethodsforsubmittingthedepositforanunpublishedworkoraworkthatispublishedsolelyonline,inorderofpreference,areasfollows:



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• Uploadingelectronicfilestotheelectronicregistrationsystem:Whensubmittinganonlineapplicationthroughtheelectronicregistrationsystem,theapplicantmayuploadaPDF-A,PDFfile,PDFpackage,orPDFportfoliothatcontainsallofthewebsitecontentthatisclaimedintheapplication.Anyaudiooraudiovisualcontentshouldbesubmittedinseparatefiles.ThedepositalsoshouldincludeanotethatidentifiestheURL(s)wheresuchfilesreside.ForAdditionalguidanceoninuploadingthefilesisprovidedontheOffice’swebsite,seecopyright.gov/eco/faq.html.

• Submittingelectronicfilesbymail,bycourier,orbyhanddelivery:Whensubmittinganonlineapplicationorapaperapplication,theapplicantmaydepositaPDF-Afile,PDFfile,PDFpackage,orPDFportfoliothatcontainsallofthewebsitecontentthatisclaimedintheapplication.Anyaudiooraudiovisualcontentclaimedshouldbesubmittedinseparatefiles.Allofthefilesshouldbeburnedontoacomputerdisc,andthedepositshouldincludeanotethatidentifiestheURL(s)wherethefilesreside.ThediscmaybedeliveredtotheOfficebymail,bycourier,orbyhanddelivery.Forguidanceonthisprocedure,seeChapter1500,Section1508.3through1508.5.

• Identifyingmaterial:Whensubmittinganonlineapplicationorapaperapplication,theapplicantmaydepositaprintoutofallthepagesofthewebsitethatareclaimedintheapplication,alongwithadiskorotherappropriatemediacontaininganyaudiooraudiovisualcontentthatisincludedintheclaim.Inthealternative,theapplicantmaydepositidentifyingmaterialintheformatthatismostappropriateforthetypeofauthorshipthatisclaimedintheapplication,providedthattheidentifyingmaterialincludesalloftheauthorshipbeingclaimed.Forexample,theapplicantmaysubmitpaperprintoutsforwebsitesthatcontaintextandartwork,butdonotcontainsound,music,oraudiovisualelements.Theapplicantmaysubmitaudiooraudiovisualfilesforwebsitescontainingsound,music,oraudiovisualelements.Asitemapmaybeusedastheidentifyingmaterialforaclaimbasedontheorganizationofthepageswithinawebsite.However,aclaimbasedontheselection,coordination,and/orarrangementofaudiooraudiovisualfilescannotbeincludedintheclaimunlesstheselection,coordination,and/orarrangementoftheaudiooraudiovisualfilesisprovided.Inallcases,identifyingmaterialmaybedeliveredtotheOfficebyupload,bymail,bycourier,orbyhanddelivery.Forguidanceonthisprocedure,seeChapter1500,Section1508.3through1508.5.

NOTE:Whensubmittinganonlineapplicationanddeliveringthedepositbymail,bycourier,orbyhanddelivery,theapplicantmustattachashippingsliptoeachdeposit.Iftheapplicantfailstoattachashippingsliptoeachdeposit,theOfficewillbeunabletoconnectthedepositwiththeapplication.Forinformationconcerningthisprocedure,seeChapter1500,Section1508.2.

Examples:

• PatrickO’ConnorcreatedallthetextthatappearsonawebsitethatdescribespointsofinterestintheShenandoahValley.Usersmayviewthiscontent,butthetermsofserviceexpresslystatethatthesiteisonlyintendedforpublicdisplay.Thetextmayberegisteredasanunpublishedwork.Therefore,Patrickmayuploadthiscontent



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totheelectronicregistrationsysteminoneormoredigitalfiles,providedthatthetextissubmittedinanacceptableformat,suchas.txt,.pdf,.docx,.wpf,andprovidedthatthefilescontainallthecopyrightabletextthatisclaimedintheapplication.

• OnNovember3,2013JosephAndresposteddozensofphotographstoastockphotographywebsitethatallowsuserstodownloadorreproduceimagesfortheirownpersonaluse.Thephotographsmayberegisteredaspublishedworks.Josephmayuploadelectroniccopiesoftheseimagesthroughtheelectronicregistrationsystem,eitherbysubmittingaseparateapplicationforeachphotographorbysubmittinganapplicationtoregisteragroupofpublishedphotographs.

1010.4 Uploading Large Files or Large Numbers of Files to the Electronic Registration System

Theelectronicregistrationsystemhasasixtyminute“timeout”featurethatlimitsthesizeandthenumberoffilesthatmaybesubmittedduringeachuploadsession.Theselimitsvarydependingontheconnectionspeedoftheapplicant’scomputer.Themaximumsizeforfilessubmittedwithatypicalmodemis11.3MB,whilethemaximumsizeforfilessubmittedwithatypicalbroadbandconnectionis170MB.

Iftheapplicantintendstouploadalargenumberoffiles,theOfficeencouragestheapplicanttosubmitthedepositinoneormorecompressedZIPfiles.Iftheapplicantintendstouploadaverylargefile,theOfficeencouragestheapplicanttocompressthedepositinaZIPfileortoseparatethedepositintotwoormoresmallerfiles.Alternatively,theapplicantmayuploadthedepositduringtwoormoreuploadsessions;informationconcerningthisprocedureisavailableontheOffice’swebsiteatcopyright.gov/eco/faq.html.

Iftheapplicantisunabletouploadthedepositwiththeseoptions,thenasdiscussedinSection1010.3,theapplicantmayfixthedepositcopy(ies)onadiscanddeliverittotheOfficebymail,bycourier,orbyhanddelivery,togetherwithashippingslipthatconnectsthedepositwiththeonlineapplication.

1010.5 The Deposit Material Must Match the Material Claimed in the Application

Frequently,applicantsseektoregisterpublishedwebsitecontent,butfailtodepositthecontentthatexistedonthewebsiteasofthedateofpublicationspecifiedintheapplication.Insomecases,theapplicantprovidesthedatethatthewebsitewasfirstpublished,butinsteadofdepositingthecontentthatappearedonthesiteasofthatdate,theapplicantdepositsthecontentthatappearedonthewebsiteonthedatethattheapplicationwasfiled.Inothercases,theapplicantintendstoregisterthemostrecentversionofawebsite,butinsteadofprovidingthedateoffirstpublicationforthatversion,theapplicantprovidesthedatethatthewebsitefirstappearedontheinternet.

Toregistermaterialfromtheinitialversionoranysubsequentversionofapublishedwebsite,theapplicantmustdepositanacceptablecopyorphonorecordofthespecificversionthattheapplicantintendstoregisterandtheapplicantmustprovidethecorrect



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dateoffirstpublicationforthatversion.Ifthedateofpublicationspecifiedintheapplicationdoesnotmatchtheversionreflectedinthedepositcopy(ies),theregistrationspecialistmaycommunicatewiththeapplicanttodetermineifthecorrectversionhasbeensubmitted.

Examples:

• CapitolCityCupcakesownsawebsitethatwentliveonJune1,2009.Thecompanysubmitsacopyofallthetext,artwork,andothercopyrightablecontentthatappearedonthesiteonJune1,2009andstatesthatthecontentwasfirstpublishedonthatdate.Theregistrationspecialistwillregistertheclaim.TheregistrationwillcoverthecontentasitexistedonJune1,2009,butitwillnotcoveranynewmaterialthathasbeenaddedtothesitesincethen.

• DCDoughnutsownsawebsitethatfirstappearedontheinternetonJuly1,2013.Ayearlaterthecompanydecidestoregisterallofthephotographs,illustrations,andothercopyrightablecontentthatappearedontheinitialversionofthesite.TheapplicantstatesthatthewebsitewasfirstpublishedonJuly1,2013,butsubmitsacopyofthewebsiteasitexistedonJuly1,2014.Theregistrationspecialistwillcommunicatewiththeapplicanttodetermineifthedateofpublicationiscorrect,andifso,torequestanappropriatecopyofthecontentthatappearedonthesiteasofJuly1,2013.

1010.6 Deposit Requirements for Specific Types of Website Content

1010.6(A) The Initial Version of a Published Website

Toregistertheinitialversionofapublishedwebsite,theapplicantshouldsubmittherelevantwebpagesastheyexistedonthedatethattheinitialversionwasfirstpublished.

1010.6(B) Subsequent Versions of a Published Website

Toregistersubsequentversionsofapublishedwebsite,theapplicantshouldsubmittherelevantwebpagesastheyexistedonthedatethatthesubsequentversionwasfirstpublished.

1010.6(C) Revised Website Content

Toregisternewtext,newphotographs,newartwork,orothercontentthathasbeenadded,modified,orrevisedonawebsite,theapplicantshouldsubmitacompletecopyorphonorecordofthenewmaterial.Thedepositshouldcontainallofthenewcopyrightablematerialthatisdescribedintheapplication.



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Example:

• Artifax,LLCaddedanewpagetoitswebsitethatdescribesthecompany’sproductsandservices.Artifaxsubmitsanapplicationtoregisterthe“newtext”and“newillustrations”thatappearonthiswebpage,alongwithaPDFfilecontainingthenewcontent.Theregistrationspecialistwillregistertheclaim.

1010.6(D) Compilations

Iftheapplicantassertsaclaimintheselection,coordination,and/orarrangementofmaterialwithinawebsite,thecompilationauthorshipmustbefullyrepresentedinthedeposit.SeeFeistPublications,Inc.v.RuralTelephoneServiceCo.,Inc.,499U.S.340,358(1991)(“Originalityrequiresonlythattheauthormaketheselectionorarrangementindependently...andthatitdisplaysomeminimallevelofcreativity)(emphasisadded).Forinstance,theOfficemayregisterawebsitethatcontainsacompilationofphotographs,providedthattheauthor’sselection,coordination,and/orarrangementofimagesisevidentintheclaim.Iftheauthor’scontributionisunclear,theregistrationspecialistwillcommunicatewiththeapplicant.

1010.6(E) Hypertext Markup Language (HTML Code)

ToregistertheHTMLcodeforawebsite,theapplicantapplicantmustdepositdeposittheentireHTMLcode.

1010.6(F) Computer Programs Contained or Embedded Within a Website

Toregisteracomputerprogramthatiscontainedorembeddedwithinawebsite,theapplicantmustsubmittheappropriatedepositmaterialforthattypeofwork.Foradiscussionofthedepositrequirementsforcomputerprograms,includingderivativecomputerprogramsandprogramsthatcontaintradesecretmaterial,seeChapter1500,Section1509.1(C).

1010.6(G) Databases Contained or Embedded Within a Website

Toregisteradatabasethatiscontainedorembeddedwithinawebsite,theapplicantmustsubmittheappropriatedepositmaterialforthattypeofwork.

Foradiscussionofthedepositrequirementsforasingle-fileormulti-filedatabase,seeChapter1500,Section1509.1(D).Foradiscussionofthedepositrequirementsforregisteringagroupofupdatesorrevisionstoadatabase,seeChapter1100,Section1117.6.

1010.6(H) Electronic Serials

Asageneralrule,theapplicantdoesnotneedtosatisfythebesteditionrequirementsrequirementinordertoregisterawebsiteortoregisteraworkthathasbeenpublishedsolelyonline.However,thereisalimitedexceptiontothisruleforelectronicserialspublishedintheUnitedStatesonorafterFebruary24,2010.IftheU.S.CopyrightOfficehasdeterminedthatanelectronicserialissubjecttothemandatory



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depositrequirement,theapplicantmustmayneedtosubmittwocompletecopiesofthebesteditioninordertoregisterthatserialwiththeOffice.Foradefinitionof“electronicserial”andadiscussionofthemandatorydepositrequirementsforsuchworks,seeSection1010.7.

1010.7 Mandatory Deposit

MandatorydepositisastatutoryrequirementforthebenefitofthenationalcollectionoftheLibraryofCongress.Section407oftheCopyrightActstatesthattheownerofcopyrightortheowneroftheexclusiverightofpublicationinaworkpublishedintheUnitedStatesshalldeposittwocopiesorphonorecordsoftheworkwithinthreemonthsafterpublication.17U.S.C.§407(a).

ThemandatorydepositrequirementgenerallydoesnotapplytoworkspublishedintheUnitedStatesthatareavailableonlyonline.However,thereisalimitedexceptiontothisrule.ElectronicserialspublishedonorafterFebruary24,2010aresubjecttomandatorydepositiftheU.S.CopyrightOfficeissuesawrittendemandforacopyorphonorecordofthatworkfortheuseordispositionoftheLibraryofCongress.See37C.F.R.§§202.19(c)(5),202.24(a).

Forpurposesofmandatorydeposit,an“electronicserial”isdefinedas“anelectronicworkpublishedintheUnitedStatesandavailableonlyonline,issuedorintendedtobeissuedonanestablishedscheduleinsuccessivepartsbearingnumericalorchronologicaldesignations,withoutsubsequentalterations,andintendedtobecontinuedindefinitely.”Id.§202.19(b)(4).

Foradditionalinformationconcerningthemandatorydepositrequirementsforelectronicserials,seeChapter1500,Section1511.6.

1010.8 Special Relief from the Deposit Requirements

Inmanycases,theapplicantmaynotpossessacompletecopyofthecontentthatwaspostedonaparticularwebsitewhenitwasfirstpublished,duetoalackofarchivalpreservationontheinternet.Ifpriorversionsofawebsitearenolongeravailable,theapplicantmayrequestspecialrelieffromthedepositrequirements.Forinformationconcerningtheprocedureforrequestingspecialrelieffromthedepositrequirementsforregistrationorthemandatorydepositrequirements,seeChapter1500,Sections1508.8and1511.8.

TheU.S.CopyrightOfficemaygrantarequestforspecialreliefincertainsituationsandatitsdiscretion.However,theapplicantshouldbeawarethatprevailinginacopyrightinfringementactionrequiresproofthattheplaintiff’sworkandthedefendant’sworkaresubstantiallysimilar.Ifthecontentofawebsitehasnotbeenadequatelypreserved,thecopyrightownermaybeunabletodemonstratewhatexistedonthatwebsiteataparticularpointintime,eveniftheOfficeregisteredthatcontentunderagrantofspecialrelief.


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