What term describes Edison copying Méliès films?

What term describes Edison copying Méliès films?

• A. Film Copies Theft
• B. Copyright Infringement
• C. Piracy
• D. Plagiarism

Answer: (A)

Copying a film created by someone else without permission falls under copyright infringement. This term captures the illegal act of reproducing and distributing a protected work without the creator’s authorization, which is exactly what Edison did with Méliès’s films. Plagiarism, by contrast, is about presenting someone else’s work as your own, usually in academic or writing contexts, not about rights or distribution. Piracy is a common everyday label for unauthorized copying or distribution, but the precise legal term for this scenario is copyright infringement. So, the best fit for describing Edison’s action is copyright infringement.

Copying a film created by someone else without permission falls under copyright infringement. This term captures the illegal act of reproducing and distributing a protected work without the creator’s authorization, which is exactly what Edison did with Méliès’s films. Plagiarism, by contrast, is about presenting someone else’s work as your own, usually in academic or writing contexts, not about rights or distribution. Piracy is a common everyday label for unauthorized copying or distribution, but the precise legal term for this scenario is copyright infringement. So, the best fit for describing Edison’s action is copyright infringement.