Monday, January 26, 2009

Information about "The Orphan Art Bill"

I wrote a post and included a video and link about "The Orphan Art Bill" on my other blog.
In case you don't already know the particulars about this bill, I am posting a brief Q and A, from the 'Orphan Works Opposition Headquarters' to give you more information...

Congress is rushing to pass a bill that will do great harm to creative expression in the United States. The Orphan Works Act of 2008 currently exists in two versions: House bill H.R. 5889, and Senate bill S 2913 The Shawn Bentley Orphan Works Act of 2008 . Both bills threaten individual creators by imposing unacceptable conditions on the creation of any work, from professional paintings to family snapshots. This includes published and unpublished work and any work ever placed on the internet. The Senate version of the bill has already passed; the House version is still before the Judiciary Committee.

Q What is the Orphan Works Act?

A: A proposed amendment to copyright law that would impose a radically new business model on the licensing of copyrighted work.

Q: How would it do that?
A: It would force all creators to digitize their life’s work and hand it over to privately-owned commercial databases or see it exposed to widespread infringement by anyone, for any purpose, however commercial or distasteful.

Q: But isn’t the bill just a small adjustment to copyright law?
A: No, it’s a reversal of copyright law. It presumes that the public is entitled to use your work as a primary right and that it’s your duty to make your work available.

If this bill passes...for me it means---'I might as well get out of the business of creating. Why purchase something if you can just 'take it'...and no one can do anything about it?'

I can't believe I am only just hearing about this...??

You can find a lot more information on the 'Orphan Art Opposition Headquarters' site.

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