CTEA (Copyright Term Extension Act)

The Copyright Term Extension Act (CTEA), enacted in 1998, extended the duration of copyright protections in the U.S. by 20 years. For works created after January 1, 1978, this meant the copyright length increased from 50 to life of the author plus 70 years, or for works of corporate authorship, 95 years from publication. The law aimed to align U.S. copyright terms with those of other countries and strengthen intellectual property protections. This extension has delayed the public domain from acquiring certain works, affecting access and reuse of copyrighted material.