What Is Public Domain?

Date First Published: 20th February 2024

Topic: Computer Systems

Subtopic: Legislation & User Data Protection

Article Type: Computer Terms & Definitions

Difficulty Level: 6/10

Learn about what the public domain is in this article.

The public domain consists of work that is available to the public as a whole and not subject to copyright. The copyright may have expired, the rights may have been given away by the author, or it may have never existed in the first place. This means that public domain works can be freely redistributed and published without obtaining permission.

What Types Of Works Are In The Public Domain?

Books, music, films, poems, and artwork can be labelled as "public domain" if the copyright has expired or it has never been protected by copyright. In computing, "public domain" is most commonly used to refer to software programs that are offered to the public without any restrictions. That is not the same as open-source software, which still retains the author's copyright and can be changed. No one holds the exclusive rights to public domain software and it is often labelled as "PD".

Determining whether copyright has expired can be complex. Work created before the existence of copyright and patent laws also form part of the public domain. Most works, including dramatic, artistic, and musical works last 70 years after the death of the creator. Broadcast works last 50 years from when it was first published and published editions last 25 years from when it was first published. Once the copyright has expired, it enters the public domain and anyone is free to use or copy the work.

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