Final answer:
Copyright protection begins when a work is created and fixed into a digital or physical form.
Step-by-step explanation:
Copyright protection begins when a work is created and fixed into a digital or physical form. According to the U.S. Copyright Office, copyright is a form of protection provided by the laws of the United States for 'original works of authorship.' This protection exists automatically from the moment the original work of authorship is fixed, without the need for any applications or approvals.
For example, if a songwriter writes a new song and records it, the copyright protection begins as soon as the song is recorded. Similarly, if an author writes a book and publishes it, the copyright protection begins as soon as the book is published.
Therefore, the correct answer is d) When a work is created and fixed into a digital or physical form.