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A work is in the '''public domain''' if nobody holds any [[intellectual property]] [[rights]] on it. Works that are in the public domain can be freely copied.

[[Image:Tulips White House.jpg|right|220px|A public domain image of the [[White House]] ]]A work is in the '''public domain''' if nobody holds any [[intellectual property]] [[rights]] on it. Works that are in the public domain can be freely copied.

Two examples of material in the public domain are [[United States]] [[government]] works (technically the copyright is held collectively by the American public), and writings for which their copyright has expired.  In the United States, anything published before 1923 no longer has copyright protection and is in the public domain.<ref>[http://www.copyright.cornell.edu/training/Hirtle_Public_Domain.htm Public Domain]</ref>  Laws vary by country, but in most of the world, works whose authors died at least 50, 70, or 100 years ago are in the public domain.

Two examples of material in the public domain are [[United States]] [[government]] works (technically the copyright is held collectively by the American public), and writings for which their copyright has expired.  In the United States, anything published before 1923 no longer has copyright protection and is in the public domain.<ref>[http://www.copyright.cornell.edu/training/Hirtle_Public_Domain.htm Public Domain]</ref>  Laws vary by country, but in most of the world, works whose authors died at least 50, 70, or 100 years ago are in the public domain.