What is a copyright?

A copyright is part of the broader field of intellectual property and regulates the rights in intangible assets such as writings, poetry, lyrics, photography, drawings and more. Copyright law is regulated in Israel in the Copyright Law, 5768 – 2007 and in broad case law in this field in Israel and around the world.

What works are protected by copyright?

The Copyright Law lists types of works that grant their owners a copyright, including an artistic work (such as a drawing or a sculpture), a dramatic work (such as a play, movie, or dance), a literary work (such as a story, a lecture, or computer code), and photography.

What are the requirements for a work to enjoy protection under the law?

The threshold requirements for recognition of a work’s copyright protection are minimal. Basic creativity is enough for a work to be considered “original” and grant its owner a copyright. In fact, almost every photograph taken, text that is written, lyric, illustration, line of code for a program, and even a Facebook post or short video on YouTube, can grant their owner a copyright.

What is the duration of the protection granted by law in Israel?

The duration of the protection of works in Israel under the Copyright Law is 70 years after the death of the creator of the work.

Who is considered the owner of the copyright?

The basic rule is that the creator of the work is its first owner. However, this rule has exceptions, including works for hire, works by an employee during the course of his employment, and State ownership. In any case, conditions may be stipulated in advance relating to ownership of a work, and it may also be transferred after its creation.

Nevertheless, the “moral right” – meaning, the right to the work being credited to the original creator and no changes being made to it – cannot be transferred.

What is the significance of copyright ownership?

The owner of the rights to a work, generally the creator himself, is the only person entitled to take advantage of the economic potential inherent in a work. This means that a copyright holder is entitled to sell his rights, lease them, grant a license to use them, present the work publicly, and to create additional works on the basis of the original.