Copyright isn’t just for songs, it covers all kinds of creative work.
WEIRD BUT TRUE!
A tattoo can be protected by copyright
it’s considered art
The rules of a board game are protected by copyright
they’re literary works
Disney once sued a daycare for painting Mickey Mouse on its wall without permission
A recipe description (the creative wording) can be protected by copyright
but the list of ingredients can’t
A photograph you take is automatically protected by copyright
even if it’s just on your phone
The Monkey selfie
This photo was taken by a monkey named Naruto using a camera left by photographer David Slater. Naruto clicked the button and took some cute selfies.
Slater believed he owned the copyright since he set up the camera. But some people argued the monkey, not Slater, took the photos.
So, who owns the rights?
In 2017, the US courts ruled animals can’t own copyright, but the decision didn’t give ownership to Slater either.
What if it went down in Australia?
In Australia, copyright law is different. If a human set up the camera and allowed the monkey to press the button, the photographer might still be the creator of the photo.
Why?
Because they had control of the camera and setup. The photographer would be making the decisions, not the monkey!
This isn’t for sure —it’s just another possible outcome.
But it shows how copyright rules can change depending on where you are in the world.
