Question

The current copyright law states that, in general, works published after 1977 will fall into public domain 70 years after the death of the author. Which of the following will be true for those who want to use a whole or portions of a novel published in 1978, with copyright notice 70 years after the author dies?

a) It will enter the public domain immediately.
b) It will remain under copyright protection indefinitely.
c) It will fall into the public domain 70 years after the author's death.
d) It will be protected for 50 years after the author's death.

Answer 1

For a novel published in 1978, copyright protection lasts for the author's life plus 70 years after their death. After this period, the novel will fall into the public domain.

Step-by-step explanation:

The current copyright law indicates that for works published after 1977, the duration of copyright protection generally lasts for the life of the author plus 70 years after the author's death. Considering a novel published in 1978, the copyright will fall into the public domain 70 years after the author's death. Therefore, the correct answer is:

c) It will fall into the public domain 70 years after the author's death.

Until then, the novel remains under copyright protection, and the use of the whole or portions of the novel without proper authorization might infringe copyright law. Only after the specified period has elapsed, can the novel be freely used without needing the copyright holder’s permission.