How Long Is a Work Copyright-Protected in the United States?

Works created on or after January 1, 1978: A work that is created (fixed in tangible form for the first time) on or after January 1, 1978, is automatically protected from the moment of its creation and is given a term of copyright protection enduring for the lifetime of the artist plus an additional 70 years after the artist's death. In the case of "a joint work prepared by two or more artists who did not work for hire," the term lasts for 70 years after the last surviving artist's death.

What Is the “Public Domain”?

A work that is no longer copyright protected is considered to be “in the public domain”. It should be noted, however, that photographs of works of art in the public domain may themselves be copyrighted and will likely require a license for publication, even though the public domain works which are the subject of the photos are no longer protected.

None of the people posting images here are dead, and they sure have not been dead for 70 years. I doubt they rendered them prior to 1923 either. (That is another part of the law that does not apply here.)

If they release it to public domain, thats fine. But posting it is not a release of copyright or rights to it.

I hope the text is big enough that people can not only read it, but actually understand it as well.

Ignorance of the law is not an excuse.

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