The Textual Condition

The Textual Condition is a legal concept used in copyright law to determine whether a work is protected. It states that for something to qualify as a copyrightable work, it must be an original creation expressed in a fixed, tangible form—like writing, recording, or a permanent digital file. In other words, the work must be put into a form that can be seen, heard, or otherwise perceived, allowing others to recognize and evaluate its originality. If a work isn't fixed or tangible, it doesn't meet this condition and cannot be copyrighted.