Tekijänoikeudenhaltija

A tekijänoikeudenhaltija is the holder of copyright in Finland. This term refers to the person or entity who owns the exclusive rights granted by copyright law. Typically, the original creator of a work is the first tekijänoikeudenhaltija. This can include authors, artists, composers, photographers, software developers, and filmmakers.

Copyright grants the holder several exclusive rights, such as the right to reproduce the work, to distribute copies, to perform the work publicly, and to create derivative works. The tekijänoikeudenhaltija can exercise these rights themselves or grant permission to others through licenses.

In some cases, the tekijänoikeudenhaltija may not be the original creator. This can happen if the copyright is transferred, for example, through an employment contract where the employer is considered the tekijänoikeudenhaltija of works created by an employee in the course of their duties. It can also be transferred through assignment or inheritance.

The duration of copyright protection varies depending on the type of work and national law, but generally lasts for the lifetime of the author plus a certain number of years after their death. Once copyright expires, the work enters the public domain and can be used freely by anyone. The concept of tekijänoikeudenhaltija is fundamental to understanding intellectual property rights and the protection of creative works in Finland.