Asked in Copyright and Intellectual Property

Q: Are old and existing cultural aspects which are used in books in a certain altered way make it copyright protected ?

I wish to write a book where i would like to use hand gestures for initiating an action, however such usage of hand gestures exist in other works. Though my gestures are different in looks and meaning as well as expression, the idea seems to be same as others. Can a simple hand sign of someone's work just be enough to be copyrighted without even considering how it is used there ?

1 Lawyer Answer
Marcos Garciaacosta
Marcos Garciaacosta
Answered
  • Intellectual Property Lawyer
  • Mesa, AZ

A: Check with an attorney to understand your risks.

In general concepts and ideas are not protectable, only the implementation and the physical instantiation of those ideas, like a book, video, etc.

Best luck!

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