Copyright Term Extension Act

The Copyright Term Extension Act, enacted in 1998 in the United States, extended the duration of copyright protection for works created after January 1, 1978. It added 20 years to the original copyright term, which is now the life of the creator plus 70 years. For corporate works, the term is 95 years from publication or 120 years from creation, whichever is shorter. This law aims to allow creators and their heirs more time to benefit financially from their works, but has also sparked debate about its impact on public access to creative works.