Until March 1, 1989, a published work had to contain a valid copyright notice to receive protection under the copyright laws. But this requirement is no longer in force — works first published after March 1, 1989, need not include a copyright notice to gain protection under the law.
But even though a copyright notice is not required, it’s still important to include one. When a work contains a valid notice, an infringer cannot claim in court that he or she didn’t know it was copyrighted. This makes it easier to win a copyright infringement case and perhaps collect enough damages to make the cost of the case worthwhile. And the very existence of a copyright notice might discourage infringement.
Finally, including a copyright notice may make it easier for someone to track down a copyright owner and legitimately obtain permission to use the work.
What is a valid copyright notice?
A copyright notice should contain:
the word “copyright”
a “c” in a circle (©)
the date of publication, and
the name of either the author or the owner of all the copyright rights in the published work.