Debunking the Myths

Posted by Natalie Sulimani

October 20, 2008

This is the first of what I hope to be a long series of posts debunking the popular myths in intellectual property. This post is on my favorite myth and one I’m asked (or need to explain) frequently:

Question: “If I mail myself a copy of my <insert script, book, etc.>, is it copyright protected?”

The answer is no. To which the response usually is, but it has a postage stamp… Still, no. This form of ‘copyrighting’ is also known as the Poor Man’s Copyright (and with all due respect to the way the US Postal Service keeps raising the postage fees…).

To understand why the PMC doesn’t work, let’s look at the important factors of copyright ownership. One factor is date of creation of the work, which a postage stamp is incorrectly thought to be proof. If the envelope is sealed and bears a postage mark, the assumption is that the date of the postage stamp is the date of the creation but envelopes can be stamped before the envelope is sealed or the envelope can be steamed open. Therefore, rendering that postage stamp useless is terms of proving the date of creation. And that’s without mentioning postage stamp tampering, which is possible.

Another factor of copyright is proof of authorship. There is nothing stating you are the author nor any proof you’re the author. What better proof of being the author than the US Copyright Office saying so?

To sue in Federal Court on copyright infringement, your work would have to be registered. So, if your work means something to you, and it should, as you invested so much time and energy to create it, then it’s worth the $45 to register it with the US Copyright Office.