Which statement is NOT a standard part of copyright definitions?

• A. Copyright protects original works of authorship fixed in a tangible form.
• B. Copyright protects ideas and concepts.
• C. Copyright is a form of protection provided by the laws of the United States.
• D. Copyright protects works created by authors.

Answer: (B)

Copyright protects the expression of ideas fixed in a tangible medium, not the ideas themselves. This means the specific words, drawings, music, code, or film that are actually created are protected, but the underlying idea or concept behind them is not. For example, the idea of a detective solving a mystery can be explored in many different ways; each unique story expression can be protected, but the broad idea isn’t. It’s a form of protection provided by the laws of the United States and applies to works created by authors once they are fixed in a tangible form. So the statement that copyright protects ideas and concepts is not accurate—the protection covers the tangible expression, not the idea itself.