QUESTION
What does the copyright on a website, apply to?
Asked on Nov 27th, 2012 on Intellectual Property - Louisiana
More details to this question:
I am starting the ground work to create an online business. The idea was sparked from another website that I have seen that has a Copyright listed on the bottom of the page. My business will be different from that business but will include some basic concepts. My question is has does the copyright apply to the website, would it be based on the design, or the way they are doing business? I know brick and mortar business can sell the same exact products and go about it the same way, even have the same business plans. I've just never seen this before. For example, Copyright © 2012 RateMyProfessors.com, LLC. Powered by mtvU and MTV NETWORKS, would that be a copyright for the way the website looks or the rating of professors. Could I make a professor rating website and sell books from it? Without getting permission from the LLC?
1 ANSWER
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Copyright applies to works of authorship, as defined under the Copyright Act -- that includes writings, graphic arts and sound recordings, among other things. It does not cover ideas, business methods, concepts, inventions, etc.
Answered on Nov 27th, 2012 at 10:20 PM