美国版权法核心要点
Key Points of U.S. Copyright Law
（中英文双版本 | Bilingual CN-EN）
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版权保护客体
Subject Matter of Protection
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中文
• 美国版权法（U.S. Copyright Act, 17 U.S.C. § 101 et seq.）保护“原创并固定于有形媒介的表达”。
• 受保护作品包括：文学作品、音乐作品、戏剧作品、舞蹈编排、图像/雕塑、电影/视听作品、录音制品、建筑设计等。
• 不受保护的要素：思想、程序、方法、数学概念、事实、常见短语、政府公文（联邦层面）等。

English
• The U.S. Copyright Act (17 U.S.C. § 101 et seq.) protects “original works of authorship fixed in any tangible medium of expression.”
• Covered categories include literary works, musical works, dramatic works, choreography, pictorial/graphic/sculptural works, motion pictures and other audiovisual works, sound recordings, and architectural works.
• Exclusions: ideas, procedures, processes, systems, concepts, principles, facts, short phrases, and U.S. federal government documents.

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2. 权利范围
Exclusive Rights Granted
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中文
版权人享有复制、发行、展演、放映、公开展示、改编、数字传输（录音制品专有权）等专有权。

English
Copyright holders enjoy the exclusive rights to reproduce, distribute, perform, display, create derivative works, and (for sound recordings) publicly transmit the work digitally.

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3. 自动产生与注册
Automatic Protection & Registration
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中文
• 版权自作品完成时即自动产生，不要求注册或标注 ©。
• 但进行版权注册（通过 U.S. Copyright Office，费用 45–65 美元起）具有三大优势：

诉讼前置条件：美国法院通常要求作品在侵权前或侵权后 3 个月内完成注册，方可提起诉讼。
法定赔偿与律师费：注册后可主张每件作品 750–30,000 美元（故意侵权最高 150,000 美元）的法定赔偿，并可能获批律师费。
公开记录：便于交易、许可与执法。

English
• Copyright arises automatically upon fixation; neither registration nor © notice is mandatory.
• Nonetheless, registering with the U.S. Copyright Office (filing fee USD 45–65+) offers key advantages:

Prerequisite for litigation: U.S. courts generally require registration before filing a lawsuit (or within 3 months of publication).
Statutory damages & attorneys’ fees: registration enables claims of USD 750–30,000 per work (up to USD 150,000 for willful infringement) and potential fee-shifting.
Public record: facilitates licensing, transfer, and enforcement.

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4. 保护期限
Duration of Protection
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中文
• 个人作者：作者终身 + 70 年。
• 共同作者：最后一位作者终身 + 70 年。
• 署名为法人或匿名/化名：首次出版后 95 年或创作后 120 年（二者较短者）。

English
• Individual author: life of the author + 70 years.
• Joint works: 70 years after the death of the last surviving author.
• Works made for hire, anonymous, or pseudonymous works: 95 years from first publication or 120 years from creation, whichever expires first.

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5. 合理使用 (Fair Use)
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中文
四因素考量：①用途与性质（商业/非营利、变形性）；②受保护作品的性质；③所用部分的数量与实质性；④对潜在市场或价值的影响。案例：Google Books、Warhol v. Goldsmith。

English
Four-factor balancing test: (1) purpose and character (commercial vs. nonprofit, transformative character); (2) nature of the copyrighted work; (3) amount and substantiality used; (4) effect on the potential market or value. Key cases: Google Books, Warhol v. Goldsmith.

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6. 执法机制
Enforcement Mechanisms
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中文
• DMCA Notice-and-Takedown：权利人可向托管服务商发送删除通知。
• 海关边境扣押：可在 U.S. Customs 登记版权以阻止侵权进口。
• 民事诉讼：可请求禁令、损害赔偿、法定赔偿、律师费。
• 刑事处罚：大规模牟利侵权可能触犯 17 U.S.C. § 506 与 18 U.S.C. § 2319。

English
• DMCA notice-and-takedown procedures allow rights holders to request removal of infringing content from online service providers.
• U.S. Customs recordation enables border seizure of infringing imports.
• Civil actions may seek injunctions, actual or statutory damages, and attorneys’ fees.
• Criminal penalties apply to willful, for-profit large-scale infringement under 17 U.S.C. § 506 and 18 U.S.C. § 2319.

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7. 国际保护与条约
International Protection & Treaties
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中文
美国系《伯尔尼公约》与《世界版权公约》成员；外国作者在美国享有国民待遇。通过《与贸易有关的知识产权协定》（TRIPS）与 80+ 国签订双边自贸协定强化执法合作。

English
The U.S. is a member of the Berne Convention and the Universal Copyright Convention; foreign authors receive national treatment in the U.S. Additional protections arise from TRIPS and more than 80 bilateral FTAs enhancing enforcement cooperation.

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8. 热点提醒（企业/创作者）
Practical Tips for Businesses & Creators
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中文
• 及时登记核心作品，并保留源文件/创作记录。
• 在合同中明确“工作成果归属”和“工作成果”定义，避免“雇佣作品”争议。
• 海外发行时同步规划多国登记，使用统一的版本控制与水印。
• 针对平台内容（YouTube、TikTok、亚马逊）制定自动监测 + DMCA 流程。

English
• Register key works promptly and keep original drafts/source files.
• Define “work made for hire” and ownership clauses clearly in contracts.
• Coordinate multi-country registration when releasing works globally, and implement version control/watermarking.
• Combine automated monitoring tools with DMCA protocols for platform distribution (YouTube, TikTok, Amazon).

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9. 常见问答
Frequently Asked Questions
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Q1: 必须在作品上标注 © 才受保护吗？
A1(中)：否，但标注 ©、作者、年份可增加侵权人“明知”风险，提高惩罚性赔偿几率。
A1(EN): No, but adding ©, author’s name, and year signals ownership and may establish willful infringement for higher damages.

Q2: 未注册能否先寄“Poor Man’s Copyright”信封自证？
A2(中)：该做法无明确法律地位，无法替代官方注册。
A2(EN): “Poor man’s copyright” (mailing sealed copies to oneself) has no statutory recognition and does not replace formal registration。
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结语 Conclusion
美国版权制度强调“自动保护 + 注册强执行”双轨模式。对于希望在美市场发行内容或打击侵权的中国企业与创作者，及早登记、精确合同、灵活运用 DMCA 与诉讼策略，是降低合规风险、最大化商业收益的关键。

The U.S. copyright regime blends automatic protection with registration-driven enforcement. For Chinese companies and creators targeting the U.S. market, early registration, precise contractual allocation of rights, and strategic use of DMCA and litigation are essential to mitigate risk and maximize commercial returns.