20. Are website postings and email messages protected by copyright? What about domain names on the Internet?
Yes, website postings and email messages are protected by copyright if such postings and messages meet the criteria for copyright protection (please go to section I for more information). Typically, website postings are multimedia works (see previous question), and email messages are literary works. Both are protected by copyright.
One important note is that a work is posted on the website only means that the public are given free access to the work. It does not mean that the copyright owner has licensed the public to copy or exploit the work in any other way.
A domain name is a name used to identify a machine on the Internet. It usually forms part of a website address or an email address. Domain names are not protected by copyright. However, a domain name may be protected by trade mark law if it is a reflection of a registered trade mark.
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