How to Protect Your Music with Cosynd as a Creator from Outside the United States
Let’s get down to business…
One crucial fact that creators often overlook is that the majority of copyright infringement occurs in the United States. While it may seem like a remote concern if you live in another country, the reality is that your music may be at risk of being misused, sampled, or outright stolen in one of the world’s largest music markets. That’s why it’s essential to know how to protect your rights as a non-U.S. citizen or the author of a foreign work.
What is a foreign work?
The U.S. Copyright Office defines “foreign works” as creations by creators or authors who are not U.S. citizens or nationals, or as works that were first published outside the United States. Despite geographic uk number list and legal differences, these works may be eligible for copyright protection in the United States under certain conditions.
Can I register my foreign work with the U.S. Copyright Office?
Good news: Yes, you can do it!
The U.S. Copyright Office allows for the registration of foreign works, and artists around the world are strongly encouraged to do so. Registration is vital because it provides substantial legal protection, including the ability to claim statutory damages and attorney fees in the event of infringement.
Is my work protected internationally?
The reality is that no “international copyright” automatically protects your work worldwide. That said, registering in the U.S. is the closest thing to worldwide protection, protecting your work in over 175 territories. Protection against unauthorized use depends on the national laws of each country. While copyright protection depends on the national laws of each country, many nations have treaties that offer some level of protection to foreign works. The scope and conditions of this protection vary, and some countries offer little or no protection to foreign works, so it is essential to know the copyright laws of the places where your music is distributed.
International copyright treaties and conventions have greatly simplified cross-border protection. The United States is a party to several key treaties, including the Berne Convention, the WIPO Copyright Treaty, and the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS), which establish important “connection points,” such as the nationality of the author or the place of first publication, that determine whether a work is eligible for protection in member countries.
By registering your work with the U.S. Copyright Office, you not only safeguard it in one of the largest music markets in the world, but you also extend protection to 175 territories. This is a key reason why the international community has a significant interest in registering their works with the U.S. Copyright Office, especially when local protections are inadequate or when there is a vested interest or publication requirement to secure rights in the United States.
For more information about the treaties and conventions to which the U.S. participates and the protection available under international law, you can consult the U.S. Copyright Office's summary here .
Understanding the scope of copyright protection in the US
While registering your work with the U.S. Copyright Office offers significant advantages, it is important to note that U.S. copyright law will apply if a copyright infringement lawsuit arises within the United States.
For U.S. works, registration is required before an infringement suit can be filed, and timely registration is required to seek damages and attorney fees.
Foreign works, on the other hand, do not need to be registered before filing a lawsuit in the U.S. However, registering before infringement occurs will increase the compensation you are entitled to, up to $150,000 per willful infringement.