Exclusive Rights of Copyright Owners

Summary

This practice note discusses the exclusive rights conferred on copyright owners by 17 U.S.C. § 106, including the rights of reproduction, adaptation (i.e., the right to prepare derivative works), distribution, performance, display, and the right to publicly perform sound recordings via digital audio transmissions. Understanding each of these rights, as well as the statutory limitations on each right, is critical to successfully asserting or defending against claims of copyright infringement.