Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Copyright grants economic and moral rights to authors of works. The economic rights allow authors and copyright owners to exploit the economic value of their works by controlling or restricting whether their works are reproduced, distributed, communicated (i.e. shared online, transmitted via email, etc.), performed, exhibited, or translated. Authors and copyright owners also have the right to authorize any individual to exercise any of their economic rights on their behalf - this is why permission must be obtained if the use of a copyright-protected work is not permitted in accordance with an educational exception from the Copyright Act, Fair Dealing, or an existing license agreement. It's important to note that authors can transfer their economic rights to other individuals or entities (i.e. publishers) which is why authors and copyright owners can be different individuals or entities. 

Moral rights are conferred upon authors of literary, dramatic, musical, and artistic works. These rights allow authors to protect the integrity of their work and their reputations and to be acknowledged or remain anonymous when their works are used. Authors can waive their moral rights but they cannot transfer them to other individuals or entities. 

For more information, please see our Overview of Copyright page.