Copyright is a legal protection given to the creator of an original work. It ensures that the creator has exclusive rights over how their work is used, distributed, or copied. Copyright law and patent protection emerged in the UK in the 1700s under the common law to protect writers during the rise of the printing industry. In the 1800s, as industrialisation and global trade grew, nations saw the need for international protection to protect innovations and research, and it was confirmed that copyright was time-limited and not a perpetual common-law right, ensuring that, after a reasonable period, humanity reaps the collective benefits.

It usually lasts for the life of the author plus 70 years after their death.

After that, the work enters the public domain: anyone can use it without asking permission, though other rights (like moral rights in some countries) may still apply.

Importantly, copyright only protects the specific way an idea is expressed, not the idea itself.
For example, while you can’t copyright the general idea of a superhero, you can copyright a particular superhero character, their backstory, costume, and artwork.

Copyright encourages creativity by giving creators a financial reason to develop new works. For instance, an author might spend years writing a novel, and copyright ensures they can control how that novel is sold or adapted into other formats, like movies or audiobooks. Without copyright, anyone could copy and sell their work, making it less attractive for creators to invest time and effort in original creations.

How Do We Get Copyright?

We don’t have to officially register it to be protected, but it’s a good idea to use a copyright notice, such as the © symbol, along with the name or logo.
Keeping records of when and how we created the work (like drafts or timestamps) can help prove ownership if needed. But we can register or “deposit” drafts and documents to have strong legal proof of authorship and date.

Other Protections

Trademarks: These protect words, symbols and logos that identify a product, service or just a brand.
For example, Nike’s “swoosh” logo is a trademark.
Trade Dress: This refers to the overall look of a product or its packaging, which helps it stand out.
For example, Coca-Cola’s red cans and Tiffany & Co.’s distinctive blue boxes are protected as trade dress.

While copyright protects the creative content, trademarks and trade dress protect the visual or branding elements of a product or service.

Imagine you drew an awesome picture, and someone said, “Great job! You get to be the only one who can use this picture for a little while, but then it’s everyone’s to enjoy.” That’s what copyright was supposed to be: a way to reward creators for their work but also make sure everyone could use it later.

But now, the market and the system have changed; it’s like someone says, “This picture is mine forever,” and they keep it locked away so no one else can see or use it.
Large corporations are increasingly merging intellectual property with aspects of natural life, personal data, and existential elements, turning them into assets and creating a vast and intricate web of ownership. By extending copyright protections, they assert control over nearly every facet of human experience

Monsanto (now Bayer) weaponised intellectual property, patenting genetically modified seeds that force farmers into dependency and suing them for “infringement”. It’s like trying to own nature itself.

Meanwhile, GAFAM (Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon, and Microsoft) and AI giants engage in subreption—a legal sleight of hand—scraping human data, creative works, and even biometrics under vague “fair use” claims, then locking them behind algorithmic black boxes.

Copyright is no longer about protecting artists and innovations; it’s the new oil, with human experience, where ideas are privatised longer than ever, nature is patented, and human expression fuels corporate AI, all while the commons shrink and intelligence and creativity become commodities like water and food.

We raise the taste level.

A creative director who lives at the intersection of art, strategy, and chaos.
My philosophy is boundless: to redefine what’s possible, to reach the source and speak directly to the soul, to push boundaries, and to leave a mark that lasts.