copyright constitutional-law
Copyright and the consitution regarding promotion
<p>The US constitution provides copyright protection for the works of authors. Specifically, &quot;To promote the progress of science and useful arts&quot;.</p>
<p>If I were to create a work, and after a few years decide I no longer want to promote it (sell), does this run contrary to copyright as per the Constitution whereby the art is no longer promoted; copyright protection would now cease.</p>

<p>A person's exclusive rights granted under U.S. statutory copyright law do not expire when the person ceases to promote the work.</p>
<p>The Copyright Clause of the Constitution does not provide copyright protection. It grants a power to Congress to create laws with a particular purpose. The Supreme Court has analyzed Congress's exercise of this power under a rational basis standard: are the laws chosen by Congress rationally connected to the specified purpose of the granted power (i.e. the promotion of science and useful arts)? See e.g. <em>Golan v. Holder</em>, 566 U.S. 302 (2012).</p>
<p>The Court has not required the laws created by Congress under this power to be so narrowly tailored such that they would only grant rights in circumstances where the rights <em>actually</em> promote the progress of science and the useful arts in that particular case.</p>
