According to The United States Copyright Office (
https://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ03.pdf):
Advantages to Using a Copyright Notice
Although notice is optional for unpublished works, foreign works, or works published on or after
March 1, 1989, using a copyright notice carries the following benefits:
• Notice makes potential users aware that copyright is claimed in the work.
• In the case of a published work, a notice may prevent a defendant in a copyright infringement
action from attempting to limit his or her liability for damages or injunctive relief based on an
innocent infringement defense.
• Notice identifies the copyright owner at the time the work was first published for parties seeking permission to use the work.
• Notice identifies the year of first publication, which may be used to determine the term of
copyright protection in the case of an anonymous work, a pseudonymous work, or a work
made for hire.
• Notice may prevent the work from becoming an orphan work by identifying the copyright
owner and specifying the term of the copyright.
Advantages to Using a Copyright Notice
Although notice is optional for unpublished works, foreign works, or works published on or after March 1, 1989, using a copyright notice carries the following benefits:
• Notice makes potential users aware that copyright is claimed in the work.
• In the case of a published work, a notice may prevent a defendant in a copyright infringement action from attempting to limit his or her liability for damages or injunctive relief based on an innocent infringement defense.
• Notice identifies the copyright owner at the time the work was first published for parties seeking permission to use the work.
• Notice identifies the year of first publication, which may be used to determine the term of copyright protection in the case of an anonymous work, a pseudonymous work, or a work made for hire.
• Notice may prevent the work from becoming an orphan work by identifying the copyright owner and specifying the term of the copyright.