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The correct answer is copyright. Copyright is the legal mechanism that grants creators exclusive rights to their original works of art, literature, music, and other creative expressions. This form of intellectual property protection is essential for safeguarding the interests of creators by preventing others from using their work without permission, thus allowing them to control distribution, reproduction, and adaptation of their artistic and literary contributions.

Copyright applies automatically to eligible works as soon as they are fixed in a tangible medium of expression, meaning that creators do not have to register their works to receive copyright protection, although registration can provide additional legal advantages. This form of protection typically lasts for the life of the creator plus a certain number of years, after which the work enters the public domain.

In contrast, patents protect inventions and processes, trademarks cover brand names and logos that distinguish goods and services, and trade secrets involve confidential business information that provides a competitive edge. Each of these intellectual property types serves a different purpose, but copyright specifically targets the rights related to artistic and literary works.