FAQ/What is a work “in the public domain”?

 

{FAQ29} What is a work “in the public domain”?

Generally speaking, the public domain refers to every creative work that is no longer protected by copyrights, trademark, patent and so on. In Copyright law, creative works that are no longer protected are owned by the general public not by anyone else.

When a work is said to be in the public domain, that means the work no longer has a right owner of the economic rights. This occurs commonly because the term of copyright protection has expired. For example, the economic rights to Shakespeare’s works have lapsed and all of his works are in the public domain. So, the Shakespeare’s works can be freely used or exploited by the public without authorization of anyone and without payment of royalties.

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