Copyright Law Acts & Years

1790 - Protected Books, Maps (etc.)

What year was the first U.S Copyright Law passed, and what did it cover?

1886

When was the Berne Convention established?

Berne Convention (1886)

This convention ensured international copyright protection across member countries.

1952

When did the U.S join the Universal Copyright Convention (UCC)?

Universal Copyright Convention (UCC) - 1952

This convention gave U.S works international protection.

1976

When was the first Copyright Act signed?

January 1st, 1978

When did the 1976 Copyright Act take effect?

1992

What year was the Audio Home Recording Act passed?

Audio Home Recording Act (1992)

This Act allowed people to make personal home recordings of copyrighted music (cassette’s, CDs) Added a royalty fee to blank media

1995

When was the Digital Performance Right in Sound Recordings Act passed?

Digital Performance Right in Sound Recordings Act (1995)

This gave sound recordings public performance rights in digital transmission’s (internet radio, satellite radio)

1998

What year was the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) passed?

Digital Millennium Copyright Act (1998)

This act requires webcasts to pay royalties to record labels, banned bypassing digital locks, and gave ISPs “safe harbor” if they remove infringing content.

2018

What year was the Music Modernization Act passed?

Music Modernization Act (2018)

This act created the Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC) for digital streaming royalties and provided them for pre-1972 recordings, guaranteeing payment for producer’s and engineers