Copyright Clause

The Copyright Clause (also known as the Intellectual Property Clause, Copyright and Patent Clause, or the Progress Clause^[1]) describes an enumerated power listed in the United States Constitution (Article I, Section 8, Clause 8).

The clause, which is the basis of copyright and patent laws in the United States, states that:^[2]

[the United States Congress shall have power] To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries.

^ Lessig, Lawrence (2004). Free Culture: How Big Media Uses Technology and the Law to Lock Down Culture and Control Creativity (PDF) (PDF ed.). Internet Archive. pp. 130–131. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 13, 2015. Retrieved July 19, 2018.
^ "COPYRIGHTS AND PATENTS". U.S. Constitution Annotated. Congressional Research Service. Retrieved September 17, 2021.

[1] Lessig, Lawrence (2004). Free Culture: How Big Media Uses Technology and the Law to Lock Down Culture and Control Creativity (PDF) (PDF ed.). Internet Archive. pp. 130–131. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 13, 2015. Retrieved July 19, 2018.

[crs-2] "COPYRIGHTS AND PATENTS". U.S. Constitution Annotated. Congressional Research Service. Retrieved September 17, 2021.

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