Manga, illustrations, music, novels—works that someone has spent time creating automatically come with “the creator’s rights.” In this lesson, you will learn what copyright is through familiar examples.
Creators Have the Right to Say “I Made This”
Drawing pictures, composing music, and writing text are called “creative work.” Something created by someone is called a work, and the creator has the right to decide “how it will be used.” This right is called copyright. Copyright arises automatically as soon as a work is created, without any special procedure. In other words, the illustration you drew today already has copyright.
What Does “Do Not Copy Without Permission” Mean?
Copying a favorite illustrator’s picture or a scene from a favorite manga without asking the creator, using it as if it were your own, or reposting it on social media harms the creator’s rights. The same applies to writing: copying text found on the Internet exactly and submitting it as your own book report or composition also goes against the idea of copyright. “I did not buy it” or “It is free to view” does not mean that you may use it freely.
Some Things May Be Used
Not every work is completely forbidden. There are also free materials that creators publish after deciding that everyone may use them freely. However, free materials often have conditions, such as “write the creator’s name” or “do not use them for profit,” so make a habit of checking the rules before using them.
- Pictures, music, writing, and other works created by someone automatically have copyright.
- Do not copy and use a work without asking the creator, or present it as your own.
- Copying text from the Internet exactly and using it as your own composition is also inappropriate.
- “Free to view” and “free to use” are different.
- Free materials often have conditions. Check the rules before using them.
Practice Problems
- Explain in your own words what kind of right “copyright” is.
- Explain why it is wrong to copy your favorite illustrator’s picture without permission and use it as your social media icon.
- Explain what it means that “free to view” and “free to use” are different.
Answers and Explanations
- Answer: The right of a person who created a picture, piece of music, text, or other work to decide how that work may be used. It arises automatically when the work is created.
Explanation: Either “the creator can decide” or “it arises automatically” is sufficient. - Answer: The picture is a work that the creator spent time making, and the creator has the right to decide how it is used. Using it without permission fails to respect that right and the creator’s feelings.
Explanation: The answer is correct if it mentions the viewpoint that the creator’s rights are not being respected. - Answer: Even if a work can be viewed without paying, that does not necessarily mean that you may copy it or use it as your own. Unless the creator has decided that it may be used freely, you may not use it without permission.
Explanation: The answer is correct if it distinguishes between being able to view a work and having the right to use it.