Reclaim the Public Domain
-
Author:
n/a -
Send To:
Members of the United States Congress
-
Sponsored By:
-
More Info at:
We, the undersigned, while believing in the importance of copyright, also believe in the importance of the public domain. We believe the public domain is crucial to the spread of knowledge and culture, and crucial in assuring access to our past. We therefore write to petition you to reconsider major changes that you have made to the copyright system. These changes unnecessarily threaten the public domain without any corresponding benefit to copyright holders.
In 1998, Congress passed the Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act (CTEA). That Act extended the term of all existing copyrights by 20 years. But as Justice Breyer calculated, only 2\% of the work copyrighted during the initial 20 years affected by this statute has any continuing commercial value at all. The balance has disappeared from the commercial marketplace, and, we fear, could disappear from our culture generally.
For example: The vast majority of film created during the 1920s and 1930s is not commercially available. Because of the CTEA, much of it remains under copyright. Yet because it is often impossible to track down the copyright owners for these films, commercial and noncommercial preservationist and distributors cannot safely restore and distribute these films. And because these films were made from nitrate-based stock, by the time the copyright to these films expire, most of them will have dissolved.
The same is true with many other copyrighted works that are no longer commercially available. Though the Internet could facilitate the distribution of this work if the copyright owners could be identified, the costs of locating these copyright owners is wildly prohibitive. Schools and libraries are thus denied access to works that otherwise could be made available at a very low cost.
Such burdens on access to work that has no continuing commercial value serves no legitimate copyright purpose. It certainly does not "promote the Progress of Science" as the Constitution requires. We therefore ask Congress to consider changes to the current regime that would free unused content from continued regulation, while respecting the rights of existing copyright owners.
One solution in particular that we ask Congress to consider is the Public Domain Enhancement Act. See http://eldred.cc This statute would require American copyright owners to pay a very low fee (for example, $1) fifty years after a copyrighted work was published. If the owner pays the fee, the copyright will continue for whatever duration Congress sets. But if the copyright is not worth even $1 to the owner, then we believe the work should pass into the public domain.
This legislation would strengthen the public domain without burdening copyright owners. It would also help clarify rights over copyrighted material, which in turn would enable reuse of that material. The law could thus help restore balance to the protection of copyright, and support the public domain.
We therefore call upon Congress to introduce this legislation, and to hold hearings on the benefits that it might have to reviving a vibrant public domain.
When technologists have given us a tool that could spread knowledge universally, we should not allow the law to get in the way. The law does so now. This Congress should change it.
In 1998, Congress passed the Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act (CTEA). That Act extended the term of all existing copyrights by 20 years. But as Justice Breyer calculated, only 2\% of the work copyrighted during the initial 20 years affected by this statute has any continuing commercial value at all. The balance has disappeared from the commercial marketplace, and, we fear, could disappear from our culture generally.
For example: The vast majority of film created during the 1920s and 1930s is not commercially available. Because of the CTEA, much of it remains under copyright. Yet because it is often impossible to track down the copyright owners for these films, commercial and noncommercial preservationist and distributors cannot safely restore and distribute these films. And because these films were made from nitrate-based stock, by the time the copyright to these films expire, most of them will have dissolved.
The same is true with many other copyrighted works that are no longer commercially available. Though the Internet could facilitate the distribution of this work if the copyright owners could be identified, the costs of locating these copyright owners is wildly prohibitive. Schools and libraries are thus denied access to works that otherwise could be made available at a very low cost.
Such burdens on access to work that has no continuing commercial value serves no legitimate copyright purpose. It certainly does not "promote the Progress of Science" as the Constitution requires. We therefore ask Congress to consider changes to the current regime that would free unused content from continued regulation, while respecting the rights of existing copyright owners.
One solution in particular that we ask Congress to consider is the Public Domain Enhancement Act. See http://eldred.cc This statute would require American copyright owners to pay a very low fee (for example, $1) fifty years after a copyrighted work was published. If the owner pays the fee, the copyright will continue for whatever duration Congress sets. But if the copyright is not worth even $1 to the owner, then we believe the work should pass into the public domain.
This legislation would strengthen the public domain without burdening copyright owners. It would also help clarify rights over copyrighted material, which in turn would enable reuse of that material. The law could thus help restore balance to the protection of copyright, and support the public domain.
We therefore call upon Congress to introduce this legislation, and to hold hearings on the benefits that it might have to reviving a vibrant public domain.
When technologists have given us a tool that could spread knowledge universally, we should not allow the law to get in the way. The law does so now. This Congress should change it.
23384 Signatures
-
Nathan K
- Comments
- Knowledge Adventure should really issue ALL of their head-to-toe versions of their product box characters on a public domain license. If the artists that they have worked with are reticent, pressure them to the fullest weight possible! If anyone wants to join me in pressuring them over e-mail or telephone, you can go to http://www.knowledgeadventure.com and click on Contact us to find their information.
- City, State
- Slinger, WI
- Zipcode
- 53086
-
David L
- City, State
- North Kingstown, RI
- Zipcode
- 02852
-
Steve B
- City, State
- Jacksonville Beach, Florida
- Zipcode
- 32250
- Something I Created Using Public Domain Work
- http://www.youtube.com/user/NotTheKeatonSociety
-
Matthew B
- Comments
- keep it free
-
Terry B
- Something I Created Using Public Domain Work
- a horror host show- interesting movie watching.
-
Claudia S
- City, State
- Nixa, Missouri
- Zipcode
- 65714
-
Claude A
-
Debra B
- City, State
- Indianapolis, IN
-
David H
- Comments
- В
- City, State
- Strafford, MO
- Zipcode
- 65757
- Something I Created Using Public Domain Work
- <a href="http://PimpernelSmith.com" target="_new">PimpernelSmith.com</a>
-
Charles M. S
- Comments
- Access to America's Historic Media Vital
- City, State
- Richmond, CA
- Zipcode
- 94806
-
Emily E
- City, State
- East Thetford, Vermont
- Zipcode
- 05043
-
Brad H
- City, State
- Indianapolis, IN
- Zipcode
- 46202
-
Steven S. D
- City, State
- Granada Hills, CA
- Zipcode
- 91344
- Something I Created Using Public Domain Work
- Several student films including thesis
-
Marie-Andree D
-
Charlene T
- City, State
- San Antonio, TX
- Zipcode
- 78216
-
Derek T
- City, State
- Sioux Falls, SD
- Something I Created Using Public Domain Work
- Many school projects, some used as teaching aides.
-
Dorothy W
-
Beverly S
- City, State
- Austin, Tx
- Zipcode
- 78745
-
Emily G
-
Daryl H
-
Stephens M. D
-
Tom N
-
DJ S
- Comments
- public domain is important
- City, State
- New York, NY
- Zipcode
- 10011
- Something I Created Using Public Domain Work
- The Man Who Would Be King musical
-
Darin K. P
- City, State
- Norwalk, WI
- Zipcode
- 54648
-
Quade W
-
Galen H
- City, State
- Portland, OR
- Zipcode
- 97211
- Something I Created Using Public Domain Work
- live soundtrack performance
-
Gary H
-
Donald B. S
- Zipcode
- 98247
-
Michael Wendell C
- City, State
- Mount Dora
- Zipcode
- 32757
-
Doris A
- Comments
- As public librarians we should have access to films (foreign films especially) to fulfill our mission to educate, inspire and entertain our communities.
-
Sara I
-
George C
- City, State
- Eustis, Fl
- Zipcode
- 32736
-
Joey A
- Comments
- I support the preservation of classic films/tv/etc. & am saddened that many of these historical masterpieces are gone. As the generations that grew up with these leave us.. they take the memories of these lost works with them. Unfortunately, the majority of today's youth are not interested in these the way previous generations have been... thanks to the fact that these productions are not on video/dvd or tv. I am 32, & I grew up in a time when many of these were shown on tv (in the 70s & 80s).This is no longer the case. I adore viewing the beginnings of Hollywood's magical history... but I'm 1 of the last of a dying breed. When I watch tv & see a 28 year old woman misidentify Dick Clark as Ed Sullivan.... I weep for the future of not only these lost works but also for our children. They're raised in a time when new technology's being developed at speeds unknown to us before. Their attention spans have been warped. It is our fault & our responsibility... to protect our past... & to save their future.
- City, State
- NC
-
Geralyn M F
-
Geraldine R
-
Tammy S
- City, State
- Chicago, IL
- Zipcode
- 60640
-
Ralph S
- Comments
- A very reasonable & Logical Act
-
Deanna A
-
Andrew J
-
dave s
-
Taylor G
-
Mark A
- City, State
- Northampton, MA
- Zipcode
- 01060
- Something I Created Using Public Domain Work
- A book I'm now working on -- THE DAY THE WORLD DISCOVERED THE SUN (Da Capo, May 2012)
-
Chris G
-
Larry J. W
- Comments
- I love the older classic movies i cant afford
- City, State
- van lear ky.
- Zipcode
- 41265
-
Daniel F
-
Dr. Bill G
-
gerald john j
- Something I Created Using Public Domain Work
- Contribution to SEIR
-
Guy S
-
Brett S
-
Jet R
- City, State
- lansing, mi
- Something I Created Using Public Domain Work
- The Adventures of Brick Mason
-
23384
Signatures! - View Signatures
- Sign Petition