Why do websites show a copyright year in the footer?

The copyright notice (©, year, owner) in a website footer is a signal, not the source of rights. In Berne Convention countries—including the United States since 1989—copyright arises automatically when a work is fixed in a tangible medium. A footer notice is optional signaling. It doesn’t create rights, and it doesn’t waive them. It tells viewers who claims ownership and that the content is not free to copy.

Caveat: Copyright law is complex and jurisdiction‐specific. Consult a qualified professional for how these points apply to your situation.

Most Berne‐country systems are similar on notice, but specifics vary by jurisdiction.

What the notice does—and doesn’t do

Today, the main legal effect of a proper notice is its impact on the innocent infringement defense. An infringer who had access to copies bearing a clear notice will struggle to claim they did not know, and had no reason to know, the work was protected. That can affect liability findings and damages. By contrast, the absence of a notice does not imply a license. Copying site text, images, or code without permission is copyright infringement.

Terminology matters. Issues of false origin and brand forgery fall under trademark infringement and, in many places, passing off or unfair competition. If someone mimics your brand’s look and signals to pass off goods or services, that is typically trademark or unfair competition territory, not copyright. Copyright covers the copying of expressive content; trademark polices source indicators.

What if you omit the notice?

You do not lose copyright. In Berne countries, protection attaches on fixation regardless of any notice. A proper notice can foreclose an ‘innocent’ defense as to statutory damages when the infringer had access to copies bearing the notice. Without notice, a court may reduce the statutory minimum; it does not erase liability or actual damages.

Enforcement in the United States turns more on registration than on footer text. Timely registration—within three months of first publication or before infringement—preserves access to statutory damages and attorney’s fees; otherwise, earlier acts may be limited to actual damages and profits.

Does the year matter?

Historically, the year in a notice marked the year of first publication and could be relevant to term calculations under older law. On the web, it functions mainly as context. You will see several conventions:

• A first year only (for example, © 2018 Company).
• The current year (© 2025 Company).
• A range showing first publication through the present (© 2018–2025 Company).

Ranges (e.g., 2021–2025) signal ongoing updates; an outdated year doesn’t forfeit rights—it’s informational.

None of these choices changes your rights, and failing to update the year does not impair protection. The year is informative: it helps readers understand when the material first appeared and whether the site is actively maintained. If you include a notice, the conventional form is the © symbol, a year, and the owner’s name. But using a different year format—or omitting the year altogether—does not forfeit protection.

Practical value (and limits)

A footer notice has modest but real value. It deters casual copying, clarifies who owns the content, and strengthens your posture against innocent‐infringement defenses. It also makes it easier for a good‐faith user to find an owner and ask for permission.

The heavier levers are elsewhere. Registration changes remedies and bargaining power. Record‐keeping—creation dates, publication history, contributor agreements, and assignment documents—supports authorship and ownership if challenged. If a dispute involves brand mimicry or consumer confusion, trademark and unfair competition tools usually carry more weight than copyright.

In short, the footer line is housekeeping. Use it for signaling and clarity, but do not mistake it for the engine of enforcement.

Bottom line

Show a notice if you want the modest benefits of deterrence and clarity. The year is mainly informative. The notice is cheap deterrence; registration and good records carry the real leverage.