Protection does NOT come from mailing a copy of your work to yourself. To get the protection you really need for your valuable art or works of authorship, you need to register it with the U.S. Copyright Office. Mailing it to yourself is NOT the same as a registration. The benefits of copyright registration are many:
- It establishes a public record
- You receive a Certificate of Registration from the U.S. Copyright Office
- It’s easier to get copyright registrations in other countries
- You can sue for infringement
- You may be able to recover money damages (e.g., lost profits, treble (3x) statutory damages, court costs, & attorney’s fees.
With those benefits, plus $35/per application, why would a smart business owner like you NOT register your valuable copyrightable content?
If I were you, I’d run (not walk) to your computer and file your registration online today. And if you don’t know what to do, there are many copyright lawyers just like me, who would be happy to assist you.
Until next time, I’m Attorney Francine Ward helping you protect what’s yours!
