Copyright is the area of law which protects the fixed expression of ideas. Once an original idea has been expressed in a tangible way (for example by writing it down or recording it) it is automatically protected by Copyright. This allows the creator of a work to control how the work is used and who can profit from it. Copyright exists in books, articles, posters, manuals, graphs, CDs, DVDs, software, databases, websites, and many other formats. In Canada, copyright is automatic when a work is created and generally lasts for 70 years after the creator’s death.
Other examples of works that are protected by copyright include: