How to Protect Your Audio Class

If you are making an audio class for purchase on your website, it’s important that you take legal measures to ensure its protection.

Creative and literary works - including audio, automatically have copyright protection when a person creates in a fixed form - meaning: books, blogs, courses, video, photos, music, etc.  

There is a presumption that this is your work even without formal notice to the rest of the world and copyright gives you the exclusive right to do (or authorize others to) reproduce the work, distribute copies to the public by sale, or display publicly.

However, while there is a presumption that this is your work even without notice or registration, you cannot seek a claim for copyright infringement unless it is registered.

Registering your video or audio course with the United States Copyright Office does have several advantages. It formally establishes a public record and it is required prior to bringing an action for infringement (meaning, you usually cannot sue for copyright infringement unless you have first registered your work with the Copyright Office).

What this means:  If someone steals your content and you haven’t registered with the government, you have no right to legal action against them! The only thing you can do is send a Cease & Desist letter and/or contact the web host to let them know what’s up.

Registration includes submitting an application, a non-refundable filing fee ($35), and a copy of the work to be protected.  If you are just doing a one-off, this may not be worth it, but for audio or video courses that you are selling for a period of time - this $35 could provide a lot of protection!

To simplify, I’ve created a list of five points that cover the jist of copyright without getting into the nitty gritty.

TOP 5 THINGS TO REMEMBER ABOUT COPYRIGHT

1. Copyright is anything you create in your pretty little head and put in a fixed form either online or offline (books, ebooks, blog posts, courses, pictures, songs)

2. You are automatically the owner of this stuff and no one can use it, sell it, or mess with it without your permission

3. Copyright infringement happens when someone takes your work without your permission and does something with it (posts it, sells it, copies it)

4. Registering your copyright with the government gives added legal protection and allows you to file a lawsuit for copyright infringement

5. If you find out someone is stealing your work, the first step is usually to send a “cease and desist” letter to get them to stop!

If you have any more questions about copyrighting your work, don’t hesitate to contact me. I’d be happy to help.