What rights do I have to content I create in-world?

[Mr Araw]

What inherent rights do I have to the content that I create in world?

 

For example, if I were to give or sell something, can I limit how it is used, who it is given to, or when strictly?

[Rolig Loon]

From the Terms Of Service (Sect 7.1), which you should read in full.....

"You retain any and all Intellectual Property Rights you already hold under applicable law in Content you upload, publish, and submit to or through the Servers, Websites, and other areas of the Service, subject to the rights, licenses, and other terms of this Agreement, including any underlying rights of other users or Linden Lab in Content that you may use or modify.

In connection with Content you upload, publish, or submit to any part of the Service, you affirm, represent, and warrant that you own or have all necessary Intellectual Property Rights, licenses, consents, and permissions to use and authorize Linden Lab and users of Second Life to use the Content in the manner contemplated by the Service and these Terms of Service.

Because the law may or may not recognize certain Intellectual Property Rights in any particular Content, you should consult a lawyer if you want legal advice regarding your legal rights in a specific situation. You acknowledge and agree that you are responsible for knowing, protecting, and enforcing any Intellectual Property Rights you hold, and that Linden Lab cannot do so on your behalf."

Whenever you create content in SL, you attach permissions which grant the next owner limited rights to copy, modify, or transfer the item they have acquired.  Those permissions attach to the item itself.  They do not constitute ceding your intellectual property rights to the concept on which the item is based. That is, you retain control over ownership to the creation even when you have sold a copy of it to someone else.  

Read about Permissions here >>> http://community.secondlife.com/t5/English-Knowledge-Base/Object-permissions/ta-p/700129  and learn more about intellectual property rights here >>> http://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Linden_Lab_Official:Intellectual_Property

[Lindal Kidd]

You can set the "next owner permissions" on your objects.  The most generally used permissions are:

Full Perms (copy/modify/transfer).  Anyone can do whatever they want with your object.

No Copy/Modify/Transfer.  Often used for jewelry and other things that are frequently given as gifts.  The purchaser only has one copy.  They may modify it, and they may sell it or give it away...but once they do, it is gone from their inventory.

Copy/Modify/No Transfer.  This is the most common permissions set.  Purchasers can make back up copies of their item, or even rez fifty copies (handy, if you are landscaping).  But they cannot give the item to anyone else.

Creators who feel that other people should not be able to change their wonderful creation will often use the above, but with No Modify set.

A very few creators sell "No Perms" items...They cannot be copied, modified, or transferred.  I never buy such useless items.

People who sell textures and scripts have a problem.  In order to use these items in a build for future resale, they must be full perm.  Sellers of these items usually include a "terms of use" document that prohibits the buyer (on their honor) from selling the item as a stand-alone product, but only incorporated in the buyer's builds.

Some items, like dances and animations, often are available in two versions, a copy/no transfer, and a no copy/transfer version.

Software exists that enables thieves to get around these permissions, and copy just about everything but animations and scripts.  These "copybotters" are the bane of creators.  Creators may petition Linden Lab to have stolen content removed from SL by filing a "DMCA Takedown Notice". 

[Antonio Montreal]

Why not first test out the options? It's all pretty straight forward.