Copyfraud
![Reproductions of public domain works by artists such as Monet and van Gogh are often printed with a false copyright notice from major museums.[1]:1042](/Images/godic/202501/06/VanGogh-starry_night2924.jpg")
![Wikimania 2012 graphic for a lecture about the subject](/Images/godic/202501/06/EVIL_PUBLISHERS_-_Flickr_-_Pierre-Selim2924.jpg")
![Copies of public domain books hundreds of years old, such as this one, are often sold under a claim of copyright by the new publisher.[4]](/Images/godic/202501/06/Wealth_of_Nations2924.jpg")
![This image from The White House's flickr account is in the public domain because it is a United States federal government work. Yet, it bears a claim that the](/Images/godic/202501/06/Springsteen_and_De_Niro_with_Barack_Obama2924.jpg")
Copyfraud refers to false copyright claims by individuals or institutions with respect to content that is in the public domain. Such claims are wrongful because material that is not copyrighted is free for all to use, modify and reproduce. Copyfraud also includes overreaching claims by publishers and others, as where a legitimate copyright owner knowingly, or with constructive knowledge, claims rights beyond what the law allows. The term "copyfraud" was coined by Jason Mazzone, a Professor of Law at the University of Illinois.