Copyright protects the expression of an idea, whether intellectual, creative or otherwise. It is the work created in material form that is protected as copyright does not protect ideas. Apart from films and movies, it is not possible to register copyright. Copyright exists automatically upon the creation of a work, if it is a category of work recognised and protected by the Copyright Act. This includes:
Literary works
Musical works
Artistic works
Cinematograph films
Sound recordings
Broadcasts
Programme-carrying signals
Published editions
Computer programs
Motion pictures / films
An owner of copyright can take steps against a work being copied, adapted, published, broadcast or being otherwise communicated to the public, without authorisation. Marking a copyright work with the internationally recognised copyright sign (©) not only acts as a deterrent, but also serves to give notice to a potential infringer of the impending act of copyright infringement. Adding the name of the author and the year of creation or publication in the copyright notice is also important, eg. © UKZN InQubate, 2018
