Public Domain

Public domain (often abbreviated to P.D.) has two main meanings: it can refer to land owned by a government as opposed to private property, but the more common understanding refers to intellectual property that is not protected by copyright, trade mark or patent.

Property in the public domain is therefore owned by everyone and can be used at any time for any purpose by anyone. Common examples include the works of William Shakespeare and the art of Leonardo da Vinci. The legal definition of what is in the public domain varies widely across countries, including very different periods of time for the expiry of copyright of materials. This has major implications for internet access to P.D. materials, with some sites determining eligibility to download on the basis of IP addresses and applicable country law.