How long does copyright protection typically last?

Copyright protection typically lasts for the lifetime of the author plus an additional 70 years after their death. This means that the rights to the work remain with the author for their lifetime, allowing them control over the use and distribution of their creation. Following their death, the copyright is transferred to their heirs or estate, ensuring that the author's legacy can continue to derive potential economic benefits from their work for an extended period.

This lengthy duration is designed to encourage creativity and innovation by providing authors with an incentive to create new works, knowing they will receive exclusive rights to their creations for a significant amount of time. After this period, the work enters the public domain, becoming freely available for use by anyone, which also contributes to the cultural and intellectual growth of society.

The other options do not accurately reflect current copyright law. The suggestion that copyright lasts only for 10 years does not align with the longer-term protections established in most jurisdictions. Similarly, stating that copyright lasts for only 50 years after publication or only during the author's lifetime overlooks the extended protection that characters such as specific types of works or authors provide by extending protection well beyond these limits.