The Orthopod list members have created a large number of email messages, up to 100 per day on some occasions. The position of copyright of electronic mail messages has been unclear. Some guidelines have been formulated by Mailbase who administer the orthopod list in respect to copyright of electronic mail messages. There is a considerable amount of misconception about the use of electronic mail and we would hope that the following guidelines would help elucidate the use of e-mail. Copyright law stops other people from using and abusing your original work.
Email messages are creative works and therefore copyrighted.
You do not have to register this copyright - it exists automatically. If you are the author or maker of an original creative work, copyright law gives you the right to exclude others from using your work in certain ways. You should be able to control who makes copies, or creates a work derived from yours. Email messages, handwritten notes, books, computer programs and webpages are all creative works and they are all protected by copyright. Copyright exists automatically from the moment that a creative work is given tangible form - as in a webpage or email message.