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Moral Rights
Practical Law Glossary Item 9-506-4493 (Approx. 3 pages)
Glossary
Moral Rights
Moral rights recognize authors' interests in controlling the use of their creative works. They include the rights of:
- Attribution, meaning the right to be credited as the author of a work.
- Integrity, meaning the right to control some modifications to and destruction of a work.
Moral rights are related to but distinct from copyright, which protects owners' economic interests. Moral rights protect noneconomic rights of the work's creator.
Many countries, particularly in Western Europe, broadly protect moral rights. In the US, only the Visual Artists Rights Act of 1990 (VARA) provides limited moral rights protections. VARA, which was adopted to meet obligations under the Berne Convention, gives creators of certain works of visual arts limited rights of attribution and integrity. These rights are not transferable but may be waived.
For more information on moral rights, see Practice Note, Copyright: Overview: Moral Rights and the Visual Artists Rights Act of 1990 (VARA).
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