What are orphan works?

Orphan works are defined as works that are still under copyright protection, yet their copyright owners cannot be located or identified despite a reasonable search. This situation complicates the use of such works because users may want to obtain permission to use them, but the inability to contact the copyright owner creates a barrier. This can include a wide range of materials, such as books, photographs, films, and other forms of media, where either the owner has not maintained current contact information or the work was created by someone who has since passed away.

The other options do not accurately capture the essence of orphan works. For instance, digital works with expired copyrights are no longer protected by copyright law and can be used freely, so they wouldn't be classified as orphan works. Public domain works are those that have either never been under copyright or whose copyright has expired completely, which also means they can be used without restriction. Meanwhile, works that have been abandoned by their creators could refer to works that are in the public domain or unprotected, but that does not align with the legal framework defining orphan works, which specifically involves an owner whose identity is either unknown or untraceable. Thus, the correct understanding of orphan works centers on the challenge of locating the copyright owner, even if