Which of the following is NOT required to prove copyright infringement?

To establish copyright infringement, four key elements must typically be demonstrated: ownership of a valid copyright, substantial similarity between the works, the defendant's access to the original work, and originality of the work itself. Among these, registration of copyright is not a prerequisite for proving infringement.

While registering a copyright provides the owner with added legal protections and the ability to sue for statutory damages, it is not necessary to prove infringement in all situations. In fact, copyright protection is automatic upon the creation of an original work, meaning that a creator does not have to register their work to have copyright protection or to assert that their rights have been infringed. Thus, the correct answer highlights a crucial aspect of copyright law, emphasizing that while registration confers certain benefits, it is not essential to establish that infringement has occurred.