What is copyright registration? 

Copyright registration is a process by which an application is filed to register a copyright. The act of registration constitutes an official confirmation by a governmental entity that the work is protected by copyright. The best example by which to illustrate this is the constitution of rights in a real estate property by registration in the Land Registry. 

Is it necessary to register copyrights in Israel? 

In Israel, as opposed to other countries, the protection granted to original works is automatic and there is no need for registration of the copyright with the Ministry of Justice in order to enjoy legal protection for the work. Nevertheless, it is recommended that works be deposited with an attorney in order to officially record the date the work was produced and to assist in possible future litigation. 

How can a work be protected in the United States? 

In the United States, in order to receive compensatory damages without proof of harm, you must file an application for registration of copyrights with the US Copyright Office. In the past, this office was called the Library of Congress. According to US law, in the event a copyright owner does not register a work with the US Copyright Office, he is not entitled to damages under the law. Filing an application with the US Copyright Office is a relatively simple procedure, by means of which extensive copyright protection can be obtained. It is also possible to search for specific works in order to check whether they are registered and protected in the United States. 

What works can be deposited with the US Copyright Office? 

Among the works that can be deposited with the US Copyright Offices are books, photographs, drawings, blueprints, source code for software, and more. In the framework of recommendations made to application developers whose target market is the United States, we recommend filing an application to register a copyright on certain components of these applications, including the application’s source code, screenshots, buttons, schematics, etc.