Final answer:
The act of illegally copying software, movies, music, and other digital materials is known as piracy. Copyright is a legal protection for creators to maintain economic rights over their works, and piracy violates these rights.
Step-by-step explanation:
The common infringement on copyright where people illegally copy software, movies, music, and other digital materials is known as piracy. Piracy includes activities such as illegally downloading or distributing copyrighted content without the authorization of the copyright holder. This contrasts with plagiarism, which involves presenting someone else's work as your own, and counterfeiting and forgery, which deal with creating fake items or documents, respectively.
Copyright is a form of legal protection that ensures the rights of creators over their original works such as books, music, and movies. This protection is essential to safeguard the economic interests of those who invest time and creativity into producing these works. As outlined by the U.S. Copyright Office, copyright infringement can have serious legal consequences for those involved in piracy, highlighting the importance of respecting intellectual property rights.