What is copyright protection?

Copyright protection refers to the legal rights granted to the creators of original works, encompassing both published and unpublished creations. This protection automatically begins when a work is fixed in a tangible medium of expression, meaning once the work is created and expressed in a format that can be perceived, it is protected regardless of its publication status. This encompasses a wide range of creative outputs, including literature, music, visual arts, and more, ensuring that creators have exclusive rights to reproduce, distribute, and display their works, thus safeguarding their intellectual property.

The other options do not accurately reflect the nature of copyright protection. The first option suggests that protection starts even before a work is completed, which is incorrect because copyright applies only once a work has been created and is in a fixed form. The third option implies that copyright is only relevant for digital creations, ignoring the fact that it applies to all forms of creative work, whether digital or physical. Finally, the last option misrepresents copyright law by suggesting that it protects public domain artworks, but in reality, works in the public domain are not protected by copyright, as copyright has expired or the creator has waived their rights.