Skill: agistack/copyright (version 1.0.0)

--- name: Copyright description: A comprehensive AI agent skill for understanding and managing copyright. Helps creators protect their work, understand what copyright covers and what it does not, respond to infringement, navigate licensing, handle DMCA takedowns, and understand fair use in plain language. --- # Copyright ## The Right That Exists the Moment You Create Copyright is unusual among legal protections because it requires nothing to activate. No registration. No notice. No application. The moment an original work is fixed in a tangible form — written, recorded, photographed, coded, painted — copyright exists. The creator owns it. Others need permission to copy, distribute, display, perform, or create derivatives of it. Most creators do not know this. They believe copyright requires registration, or that the absence of a copyright notice means work is unprotected, or that something found on the internet is free to use. These misunderstandings cost creators money and expose users of creative work to liability that could have been avoided with basic knowledge. This skill provides that knowledge. --- ## What Copyright Protects Copyright protects original creative expression fixed in a tangible medium. It protects the specific words of a written work, not the ideas or facts those words convey. It protects the specific melody and lyrics of a song, not the chord progression or the genre. It protects the specific visual expression of a photograph, not the subject matter or the scene. The boundaries of what copyright protects matter because they determine both what creators can enforce and what others can use without permission. An author cannot copyright the plot structure of a hero's journey. A photographer cannot copyright the concept of photographing a mountain at sunrise. A software developer cannot copyright the idea of a to-do list application — but they can copyright the specific code they wrote to implement it. The skill helps you understand where these boundaries fall for your specific type of work, which determines both how to protect what you create and how to evaluate whether your use of others' work requires permission. --- ## Registration and Why It Matters Copyright exists without registration, but registration matters. In the United States, registration is required before filing an infringement lawsuit for domestic works. More importantly, registration before infringement occurs — or within three months of first publication — makes statutory damages available in litigation. Statutory damages are significant because they remove the burden of proving actual damages, which are often difficult to quantify in copyright cases. Without registration, a copyright owner who wins an infringement case can recover only their actual damages and the infringer's profits attributable to the infringement — numbers that can be small and expensive to prove. With timely registration, they can recover between $750 and $30,000 per infringement, up to $150,000 for willful infringement, plus attorney fees. For professional creators whose work has commercial value, timely registration is not optional. It is the difference between a right that is enforceable and a right that is theoretical. --- ## Fair Use Fair use is the most misunderstood concept in copyright law, which is unfortunate because it is also one of the most important. Fair use allows the use of copyrighted material without permission in certain circumstances — commentary, criticism, parody, news reporting, education, research — and is evaluated case by case based on four factors. The purpose and character of the use: commercial uses are less likely to qualify than noncommercial ones, and transformative uses that add new meaning or expression are more likely to qualify than uses that simply reproduce the original. The nature of the original work: factual works receive less protection than creative ones, making fair use more available for factual material. The amount and substantiality of the portion used: using a small excerpt is more likely to qualify than using a substantial portion, though the most important part of a work can defeat fair use even in small quantity. The effect on the market for the original: uses that substitute for the original or harm its market are less likely to qualify. Fair use is not a bright line. It is a balancing test applied by courts to specific facts. The skill explains how to evaluate fair use arguments for your specific use case honestly rather than optimistically. --- ## Responding to Infringement When someone uses your copyrighted work without permission, you have options that range from informal to formal and from inexpensive to expensive. The right option depends on the nature of the infringement, the infringer, and what outcome you actually want. A cease and desist letter is often the first step — a formal written demand that the infringement stop. For online infringement, a DMCA takedown notice to the platform hosting the infringing content is often faster and more effective than litigation. Licensing negotiation — converting the infringement into a paid license — is sometimes the most practical resolution when the infringer wants to use the work legitimately. Litigation is the last resort, appropriate when the infringement is significant, willful, and the infringer refuses to resolve it otherwise. The skill walks through each option, when each is appropriate, and how to execute it. --- ## DMCA Takedowns The Digital Millennium Copyright Act's notice-and-takedown system allows copyright owners to have infringing content removed from online platforms without litigation. A properly formatted takedown notice sent to a platform's designated agent requires the platform to remove or disable access to the infringing content quickly or lose its safe harbor protection. The skill covers DMCA takedowns completely: what a valid notice must contain, how to find the designated agent for any platform, what timeline to expect, what happens when the alleged infringer files a counter-notice, and when the DMCA system is and is not the right tool. It also covers the counter-notice — the response available to someone whose content was removed by a takedown notice they believe was improper — and the consequences of filing false takedown notices, which carry legal liability. --- ## Licensing Your Work Copyright owners can license their work — grant permission for specific uses under specific conditions — without transferring ownership. Licensing is how creators monetize their work while retaining control over it, and how users of creative work obtain the permissions they need legally. The skill covers licensing from both sides. For creators: the elements a license should specify, the difference between exclusive and non-exclusive licenses, how to price licenses for different uses, and the registrations and recordkeeping that protect your licensing relationships. For users: how to identify whether work is licensed and under what terms, what Creative Commons licenses permit and require, how to obtain licenses for commercial use of third-party content, and what to do when the copyright owner cannot be located.

path: examples.md
content: # Copyright — Real Usage Examples

*Copy these prompts directly into your AI agent to get started.*

---

## Quick Start Prompts

### Protect My Work

"I just finished writing a book. What do I need to do to protect my copyright and should I register it?"

### Someone Stole My Work

"I found my photos being used on a commercial website without my permission. What are my options?"

### Can I Use This

"I want to use a quote from a published book in my article. How much can I use without needing permission?"

### DMCA Takedown

"Someone posted my YouTube video on their channel without permission. How do I get it taken down?"

---

## Conversation Examples

### Example 1: Creator Discovering Infringement

User: I am a photographer and I found one of my images being used in a major brand's advertising campaign on Instagram. They never contacted me. What can I do?

Agent: This is a strong infringement case if you own the copyright and the image is registered. First, document everything — screenshot the posts with timestamps before anything is removed. Second, check whether you have a registration for this image and when it was registered relative to when the infringement began. If registered before the infringement or within three months of publication, you may be eligible for statutory damages up to $150,000 for willful infringement plus attorney fees — numbers that make this worth pursuing seriously. Third, consider your approach: a direct licensing negotiation often resolves commercial infringement cases faster than litigation and can produce a fair payment without the cost of a lawsuit. A cease and desist or a licensing demand letter to the brand's legal department is a reasonable first step. Tell me whether the image is registered and I will help you think through the specific options.

---

### Example 2: Fair Use Question

User: I run an educational YouTube channel. I want to use clips from movies to illustrate points about cinematography. Is this fair use?

Agent: Educational commentary on cinematography using film clips is one of the stronger fair use cases — it hits the transformative use factor strongly and the educational purpose factor. But fair use is evaluated case by case, not categorically, so let me walk through the four factors for your specific use. Purpose: educational commentary that transforms the clip by adding analysis — favors fair use. Nature of the original: creative films receive strong copyright protection — slightly against. Amount used: short clips used to illustrate specific points — favors fair use, but the most iconic scenes carry more risk even in short excerpts. Market effect: commentary channel that does not substitute for watching the film — favors fair use. Your risk level depends on clip length, which films you use, and whether you are monetizing the channel. Short clips for genuine critical analysis of technique from non-litigious studios is lower risk. Long clips from studios with aggressive enforcement is higher risk. What specifically are you planning to use?

---

### Example 3: DMCA Counter-Notice

User: I received a DMCA takedown on my YouTube video. The video uses a song but I licensed it through a music licensing platform. What do I do?

Agent: If you have a valid license for the music, you have grounds to file a counter-notice. The counter-notice tells YouTube that you have the right to use the content and that the takedown was improper. YouTube is then required to notify the claimant, who has 10 to 14 business days to file a lawsuit — if they do not, your video is restored. Before filing, confirm that your license from the music platform covers YouTube use specifically — some sync licenses are limited by platform or territory. Find your license agreement and verify it covers this use. If it does, the counter-notice is appropriate and the burden shifts to the claimant to either file suit or let the video be restored. I can walk you through the exact counter-notice format and what it needs to contain.

---

## Power User Prompts

"I want to register my copyright. Walk me through the eCO registration process step by step."

"Someone filed a DMCA takedown against my content and I believe it was fraudulent. What are my options?"

"I want to license my photography for commercial use. What should a basic licensing agreement include?"

"How long does copyright last and when does work enter the public domain?"

"I am building a website and I want to use Creative Commons licensed images. What do the different CC licenses allow?"

---

*Copyright is automatic but enforcement is not. The creators who protect their work effectively are the ones who understand what they own and act on that understanding.*


path: heartbeat.md
content: # Copyright Skill — Heartbeat

*Your copyright exists automatically. Protecting it effectively requires deliberate action.*

---

## When You Create Something New

Run when any significant new work is completed:

"I just completed [work type]. What should I do to protect my copyright and should I register it?"

New work checklist:
- Document creation date and original authorship
- Add copyright notice if distributing publicly
- Evaluate registration priority based on commercial value
- Register within three months of first publication for full statutory damage eligibility
- Store a backup copy in a dated, accessible format

---

## Monthly — Infringement Watch

"Help me check for unauthorized use of my work online."

Monthly monitoring:
- Reverse image search for photographers and visual artists
- Google search for distinctive phrases from written works
- YouTube Content ID and similar platform monitoring tools
- Social media monitoring for unauthorized use of content
- Watermarking and metadata review for distributed assets

When you find potential infringement:
"I found what may be unauthorized use of my [work type] at [location]. Help me document this and evaluate my options."

---

## Quarterly — Licensing and Rights Review

For creators who license their work:

"Review my current licensing situation. I have [number] active licenses for [work types]. Are there any issues I should address?"

Quarterly licensing checklist:
- Active licenses — are all licensees complying with terms
- Expired licenses — any that need renewal or enforcement
- New licensing opportunities identified
- Licensing rate review — are current rates market appropriate
- Platform terms review — any platform policy changes affecting your rights

---

## Annual — Copyright Portfolio Review

"Walk me through my annual copyright review."

Annual checklist:
- All significant works registered — any gaps to fill
- Registration records organized and backed up
- Licensing agreements organized and accessible
- Work-for-hire agreements reviewed — who owns what
- Older work evaluated for continued commercial value warranting renewed protection attention
- Any infringement matters from the past year resolved or ongoing

---

## Trigger Events — Use Immediately

Discovered infringement: "I found my [work] being used without permission at [location]. Help me document and respond."

Received takedown notice: "I received a DMCA takedown on my content. Here is what it says: [summary]. Is this legitimate and what are my options?"

Licensing inquiry: "Someone wants to license my [work] for [use]. Help me evaluate the request and structure an appropriate license."

Work for hire question: "I am being asked to sign a work for hire agreement. What does this mean for my copyright ownership?"

Using third-party content: "I want to use [content] in my project. Help me determine if I need permission and how to get it."

---

*Copyright is a right that belongs to you. It is most valuable when you understand it, register it before you need to enforce it, and monitor for infringement consistently.*


path: skill.json
content: {
  "name": "copyright",
  "version": "1.0.0",
  "description": "A comprehensive AI agent skill for understanding and managing copyright. Covers automatic protection, registration strategy, fair use evaluation, infringement response, DMCA takedowns, and licensing for creators and content users.",
  "author": "AGIstack",
  "license": "MIT-0",
  "homepage": "https://clawhub.ai",
  "keywords": [
    "copyright", "intellectual property", "DMCA", "fair use", "infringement",
    "creative rights", "licensing", "registration", "takedown", "creator rights",
    "copyright law", "content protection", "Creative Commons"
  ],
  "files": {
    "skill.md": "skill.md",
    "heartbeat.md": "heartbeat.md",
    "examples.md": "examples.md"
  },
  "capabilities": {
    "protection_guidance": "Explains what copyright protects and how to strengthen that protection through registration",
    "fair_use_analysis": "Evaluates fair use arguments for specific use cases honestly",
    "infringement_response": "Guides creators through cease and desist, DMCA, and litigation options",
    "dmca_process": "Walks through takedown notices and counter-notices completely",
    "licensing_guidance": "Helps creators structure licenses and users obtain proper permissions",
    "infringement_monitoring": "Builds systems for detecting unauthorized use of creative work"
  },
  "triggers": [
    "copyright", "intellectual property", "DMCA", "fair use", "infringement",
    "copyright registration", "takedown notice", "creative commons",
    "licensing", "copyright protection", "stolen content", "copyright claim",
    "work for hire", "copyright owner", "public domain", "copyright infringement"
  ],
  "heartbeat": {
    "on_creation": "Document and evaluate registration for each new significant work",
    "monthly": "Monitor for unauthorized use of published work",
    "quarterly": "Review active licenses and compliance",
    "annual": "Full copyright portfolio audit and registration gap review"
  },
  "audience": [
    "Photographers, writers, musicians, and visual artists protecting their work",
    "Content creators dealing with platform copyright claims",
    "Businesses using third-party content who need to understand their permissions",
    "Anyone who has discovered their work being used without permission",
    "Creators wanting to license their work professionally"
  ],
  "openclaw": {
    "primaryEnv": null,
    "requires": {}
  }
}


Security scan verdicts — ClawScan: clean | static analysis: clean | VirusTotal: clean | SkillSpector: clean (LOW)