Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act

The Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act, passed in 1998, extended the duration of copyright protections for works created by individuals from the life of the author plus 50 years to the life plus 70 years. For works made for hire, anonymous, or pseudonymous works, copyright protection was extended from 75 to 95 years. Named after singer-turned-politician Sonny Bono, the act aimed to harmonize U.S. copyright law with international standards and give authors and copyright holders longer exclusive rights, encouraging creativity and investment.