Copyright formalities
Okay, buddy. So, if you make something like a drawing or a story, it belongs to you because you made it. But just telling your friends that it's yours doesn't always mean they will believe you or respect your work. That's where copyright comes in. It's like a big official stamp that says 'This is mine and you can't use it without my permission.'
Now, for a long time, there were a lot of rules and paperwork that you needed to do to make sure people knew that you owned something. It was like taking a test with a lot of questions and if you didn't answer all the questions in just the right way, then you didn't get your copyright stamp! But that was really hard and a lot of people didn't even try.
So, some people who really liked art and stories decided that these rules were getting in the way of sharing and enjoying things. They wanted to make it easier for people to get the copyright stamp. They said, "Hey, you know what? If you make something, it's yours from the moment you make it, no matter what you do. Even if you forget to take the big, official test, it's still yours!"
And a lot of people liked that idea, so now in a lot of places, you don't have to do anything to get the copyright stamp. You don't even have to put the C-in-a-circle symbol that we used to see on everything! It's already yours, and people need your permission before they can use it. Isn't that cool?
Now, for a long time, there were a lot of rules and paperwork that you needed to do to make sure people knew that you owned something. It was like taking a test with a lot of questions and if you didn't answer all the questions in just the right way, then you didn't get your copyright stamp! But that was really hard and a lot of people didn't even try.
So, some people who really liked art and stories decided that these rules were getting in the way of sharing and enjoying things. They wanted to make it easier for people to get the copyright stamp. They said, "Hey, you know what? If you make something, it's yours from the moment you make it, no matter what you do. Even if you forget to take the big, official test, it's still yours!"
And a lot of people liked that idea, so now in a lot of places, you don't have to do anything to get the copyright stamp. You don't even have to put the C-in-a-circle symbol that we used to see on everything! It's already yours, and people need your permission before they can use it. Isn't that cool?