Figma is a vector graphics editor and prototyping tool – think of it as the Adobe Illustrator for user interface designers and front-end developers. It’s used by big companies like Uber, Netflix, and Facebook, and is quickly growing in popularity.
So does Figma have copyright? The short answer is yes – anything you create in Figma is automatically copyrighted to you. However, there are some important things to keep in mind about copyright and Figma.
What is copyright?
Copyright is a form of intellectual property protection that gives the creator of a work the exclusive right to reproduce, distribute, perform, or display that work. In other words, copyright gives you the right to control how your work is used and ensures that you are compensated for your creativity.
Copyright law is governed by federal law in the United States, and so anything you create in Figma (or anywhere else) is automatically copyrighted to you as soon as it is created. You don’t need to register your work with the Copyright Office or anything like that – it’s already protected.
What does copyright protect?
Copyright protects creative works that are fixed in a tangible form – so things like paintings, sculptures, books, music, and yes, even digital designs. It doesn’t protect ideas, concepts, or facts – only the expression of those things.
For example, if you come up with an idea for a new app, that idea itself can’t be copyrighted. But as soon as you start writing down the code or designing the interface or even just sketching out what the app will look like, those expressions of your idea are protected by copyright.
How long does copyright last?
In the United States, copyright lasts for the life of the author plus 70 years.
So if you create something in Figma today (or anywhere else), it will be protected by copyright until 70 years after you die.
What does copyright give me the right to do?
Copyright gives you the exclusive right to control how your work is used. That means that only you can decide who can copy it, distribute it, perform it, or display it. You can also sell or license those rights to someone else if you want.
What does copyright not give me the right to do?
Just because you have copyright protection doesn’t mean you can do whatever you want with your work. There are some important limitations on what you can do with a copyrighted work.
You can’t violate someone else’s copyright. Just because you have the right to control how your work is used doesn’t mean you can use someone else’s copyrighted work however you want. If you want to use someone else’s work in your own project (for example, using a photo from Google Images), you need to get their permission first. Otherwise, you could be violating their copyright and facing serious legal consequences.
You also can’t infringe on someone else’s trademark. Trademarks are different from copyrights – they protect things like brand names and logos – but they still have some important restrictions on how they can be used.
Conclusion:
Figma does have copyright protection for anything created within the program. However, users need to be mindful of not violating other copyrights or trademarks when using Figma creations.