©️
copyright
Unicode: 00A9 FE0F
Description
A circular symbol depicting the letter 'C' encircled, representing copyright.
Group:
Symbols > other-symbol
Status:
fully-qualified
Emotion:
Neutral, informative. Primarily conveys legal ownership or protection.
Backstory
The copyright symbol (©) was introduced by the U.S. Copyright Act of 1909 as an alternative to a more lengthy copyright notice. The 'FE0F' (Variation Selector-16) is appended to ensure the emoji presentation (as a graphical symbol) rather than a text presentation of the character. It's a standard legal mark across many global legal systems.
Usage Examples
- Indicating legal ownership: '© 2023 Acme Corp. All rights reserved.'
- Marking creative works: 'My new song ©'
- In academic citations: 'Source: [Author] ©'
- On product packaging: '© Product Name'
Cultural Differences
Western culture:
Universally understood as the copyright symbol, indicating legal protection for intellectual property.
East Asian culture:
Also recognized as the copyright symbol, with the same legal implications for intellectual property.