What does copyright protect?

Copyright specifically protects the expression of ideas and original works of authorship, allowing creators to maintain exclusive rights to their creations. This encompasses a wide range of works, including literature, music, art, and software, among others. When someone creates an original work, copyright gives them the legal authority to control how that work is used, reproduced, and distributed.

This protection ensures that creators can benefit from their labor and creativity by preventing others from using their works without permission. It promotes the advancement of culture and innovation by securing the economic and moral rights of creators.

In contrast, the other options refer to different areas of intellectual property or business concepts. For example, inventions or processes are covered by patents, which protect new inventions rather than expressions. Marks used by collective groups to identify services fall under trademark protection, which is focused on brand identity rather than artistic expression. Lastly, information that provides a competitive advantage pertains to trade secrets and is not under the scope of copyright, as it usually involves non-public information relevant to business practices, not original works.