Do you know how to properly display a copyright message on website? Well first, let me tell you that having a copyright notice on your website is unnecessary. The U.S. Copyright Office clearly states that your website and other creative content has “protection the moment it is created and fixed in a tangible form that it is perceptible either directly or with the aid of a machine or device.”
Although displaying a copyright notice isn’t required, it’s good to post one so it’s clear who is claiming ownership of the work. The Copyright Office even recommends registration (even on websites) if you need to seek protection in a court of law, making it more difficult for the infringing party to claim innocence.
Acceptable Ways to Display Your Copyright Notice
There are four ways to display your copyright on your website. They are:
- Copyright 2020 Cahill Interactive LLC
- Copyright 1995-2020 Cahill Interactive LLC
- © 2020 Cahill Interactive LLC
- © 1995-2020 Cahill Interactive LLC
And here are a few of the rules:
- You can use “Copyright” or ©, but you don’t need to use both.
- There is no period between the date and the organization or person who claims the copyright.
- If your website contains material that was created in previous years, you may want to use a date range in the copyright notice.
This goes without saying, but this blog post (or any blog post for that matter), should not substitute for the advice of your attorney. If you’re in doubt or have more detailed questions about your own work, we recommend that you consult a lawyer.