Final answer:
The statement that copyright automatically expires 2 years after the copyright holder's death is false. Copyright does not expire 2 years after the author's death; it generally lasts for the life of the author plus 70 years. For corporate-owned works, the duration is 95 years from publication.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to current U.S. copyright law, for works created on or after January 1, 1978, copyright generally lasts for the life of the author plus 70 years after the author's death. If the work is by multiple authors, it is 70 years after the death of the last surviving author. However, for works made for hire, anonymous, or pseudonymous works, the duration is 95 years from publication or 120 years from creation, whichever is shorter.
In context, works such as Mickey Mouse, which was at risk of entering the public domain, were affected by the Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act of 1998, which extended copyrights owned by companies or other entities from 75 years to 95 years after publication. This extension has had a significant impact on a vast amount of cultural works including books, movies, and songs.