moralrights

Moral rights are a category of legal rights that protect a creator’s personal and reputational interests in a work, independently of the author’s economic rights. Originating in European civil-law systems, notably the French concept of droit moral, moral rights are recognized in varying forms around the world. They focus on the author’s connection to the work and on preventing misattribution or distortion.

The principal moral rights typically include the right of attribution (to claim authorship and oppose false attribution) and the right of integrity (to object to modifications or treatments that could harm the author’s honor or reputation). Some jurisdictions also recognize a right of disclosure or withdrawal, or a right to prevent the work from being linked to views the author does not endorse. The exact scope and wording of these rights vary by country.

In many countries, moral rights are perpetual, inalienable, and cannot be fully transferred, though waivers or limitations may be permitted alongside the transfer of economic rights. In others, waivers are more restricted or require specific formalities. Enforcement can include injunctions, damages, or other remedies for misattribution, alteration, or other derogatory treatment of a work.

Internationally, moral rights are addressed to differing degrees in treaties such as the Berne Convention and related agreements. National law shapes how these rights arise, how they are invoked, and the balance struck between an author’s personal interests and the public’s use of a work.