What is the Difference Between Copyright and Intellectual Property?

The difference between copyright and intellectual property lies in their scope and the types of creations they cover.

Intellectual Property (IP) refers to any intellectual creation, such as literary works, artistic works, inventions, designs, symbols, names, images, computer code, and more. IP is an umbrella term that encompasses various types of protectable creations, including copyright, trademarks, patents, industrial designs, and geographical indications.

Copyright is a specific form of intellectual property that covers original and creative works of authorship fixed in a tangible medium of expression. It is a set of exclusive rights awarded to a copyright holder or owner, and it includes literary and artistic works, such as books, music, and visual arts. Copyright protects the expression of ideas, granting the creator exclusive rights to reproduce, distribute, perform, display, and prepare derivative works based on the original.

In summary, copyright is a subset of intellectual property, specifically focused on protecting the expression of ideas in various forms of creative works. While intellectual property covers a broader range of intellectual creations, including inventions, designs, and trademarks.

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What is the Difference Between Copyright and Intellectual Property?

Comparative Table: Copyright vs Intellectual Property

The Difference Between Copyright and Intellectual Property can be summarized in the following table:

Feature	Copyright	Intellectual Property
Definition	Copyright is a form of intellectual property that protects original works of authors, such as books, articles, songs, photographs, and other creative works, that are fixed in a tangible medium. Intellectual Property refers to creations of the mind, such as inventions, literary and artistic works, designs, symbols, names, and images that are useful in trade and commerce.
Protection	Copyright protects the expression of ideas in various forms, such as books, articles, songs, photographs, sculptures, choreography, sound recordings, and motion pictures. Intellectual Property covers a broader range of creations and includes trademarks, patents, industrial designs, copyrights, and geographical indications.
Exclusive Rights	Copyright grants authors exclusive rights, such as the right to reproduce, prepare derivative works, distribute copies, perform the work publicly, and display the work publicly. Intellectual Property grants exclusive rights to creators or recipients of their creations, depending on the type of intellectual property.
Registration	Copyright is generally represented by C in a circle ©. Intellectual Property can be registered in various forms, such as trademarks, patents, and copyrights, depending on the type of creation.
Examples	Copyrighted works include books written by Chetan Bhagat and songs composed by Anirudh. Some recognizable trademarks are Coca-Cola, McDonald's, Pepsi, Google, and Facebook.
Duration	Copyright protection typically lasts for a certain number of years, usually the life of the author plus a certain number of years after their death. Intellectual Property protection varies depending on the type of creation and jurisdiction.

In summary, copyright is a specific form of intellectual property that protects original works of authors, while intellectual property is a broader term that encompasses various types of creations, including copyrights, trademarks, patents, industrial designs, and geographical indications. Both provide exclusive rights to creators or recipients of their creations, but the scope of protection and registration requirements vary depending on the type of intellectual property.

Guilherme Mazui

Guilherme Mazui is graduated in journalism from the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) and a master's degree in Communication from the University of São Paulo (USP). In addition, he has experience in advertising writing and has worked as a content editor in several companies.