Thread "Legalizing art theft?" in forum "Comic Talk and General Discussion *"

Posted at 4:04PM, Apr. 13, 2008

This makes it sound a little less bad when I read it.

http://www.asmp.org/news/spec2008/orphan_update.php

Status: March 13, 2008

It is now official: An Orphan Works law is being drafted for consideration in the 2008 legislative session. On Thursday, March 13, the House Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet and Intellectual Property will hold a hearing, and ASMPÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s General Counsel, Victor Perlman, will be there to testify on behalf of creators. He will be speaking on behalf of photographers and illustrators generally, as well as ASMP and its members in particular.

…aaand I do believe that was the legit info I was looking for…probably anyway. Well then, I guess the current issue is…Orphan Works bill: not as bad as people make it out to be? Or could it in fact be misused in the way we are all worried about?

Well I've already signed some petitions against it. =P Now should I go as far as writing letters?

Posted at 5:04PM, Apr. 13, 2008

well , anyway , this is just the US doing this thing ,it's like they still think they are a super power or something. i read somewhere that there are international laws against forcing people to register their works . so , even if this does pass it's just more cannons fired from the titanic . it's like the attacks on net nuetrality and every other horrible facist pro corporate thing the US lawmakers have done lately . they think they can legislate the whole world from washington? that only works when you have the power to back it up , and that power is on the decline. so i'm not so worried about this . it's just the spoiled kid crying "my ball" at the end of the game , just before everybody leaves him to play by himself .

Posted at 12:04AM, Apr. 14, 2008

This is as authoritative as you can get…

Here is the US government site about it.

That includes a video webcast from just a month ago… Why are people saying this stuff is old and hard to find? It takes me a few seconds on Google. -_-

Sarah, I can't believe you missed that. -_-

————-
People saying "it's not as bad…" don't understand what's happening. The bill IS NOT about stealing art. What gets people riled are the implications in the wording- because with the wording, stealing is fully possible. That's how laws work guys… ;)

The ones most steamed are the ones who very well understand the nuances and have looked a bit deeper at this. Jebus, it's like someone saying "oh, that glass of liquid looks perfectly ok to me, I think I might drink it. I don't care if you told me that it's acid, it looks like water to ME, what do you know?!"

Posted at 12:04AM, Apr. 14, 2008

This is as authoritative as you can get…
Here is the US government site about it.

That includes a video webcast from just a month ago… Why are people saying this stuff is old and hard to find? It takes me a few seconds on Google. -_-
Sarah, I can't believe you missed that. -_-

Darnit, and when I think I've looked over everything here. FAIL once again. =/

Posted at 1:04AM, Apr. 14, 2008

Darnit, and when I think I've looked over everything here. FAIL once again. =/

Yeah, sorry for being snarky, but that link actually has the info at the shrap end.

All these other links are just commentary and opinion pieces, while that one actually has the guys testifying before the senate committee about exactly this issue. Their testimonies make interesting reading, especially the guys representing the photographers.

Posted at 10:04AM, Apr. 14, 2008

PDF Info

Listen to this interview; it's pretty important.

Don't let the Orphan Bill Pass, or you will lose rights to your work as artists and writers!

Basically, all the work that you do, all the copyrights on it will be VOID.
Quote, "if Congress passes this law, you will lose the right to make money from your own creations! […] Our government is now working against us by allowing our own citizens to steal your creative works" (Simon, Mark). Hell, even if you're not trying to make money from it, your creative works can legally be stolen.

Protect your rights and let your voice be heard. If we do nothing, the bill will be passed by this summer.

Just in case you feel especially moved and want to contact Congress

Is anyone else just a wee bit miffed about this?

Well, that wasn't very uplifting…should I go set myself on fire now?

"We are not saying you have to register…but anyone can use your creations if you don't register."

This is another Fine example of Academic Marxists working towards a better tomorrow…for the whole world.

Posted at 1:04AM, Apr. 15, 2008

PANIC BUTTON RESET:

There is currently NO Orphan Works Bill before Congress. The 2006 version died in committee. There is currently an effort being made to draft a new one. Because it hasn't been drafted yet, there's no way of knowing whether or not the new version will infringe on anyone's rights.

The original version, however, did not: even if an infringer conducted a "reasonable search" and failed to find contact information for the copyright owner of a work, they were still liable to the copyright owner for compensation even if the work was used as not-for-profit. Copyrights were neither surrendered or transferred by any means under the original bill, nor did registration of individual works become a requirement for protecting those rights.

Long and short of it: if someone pirated your work for, say, a t-shirt, and you found out about it, then at minimum they have to compensate you for use of your work, even if they fall under the Act's protections. If they tried to jerk you around, they lost those protections and became liable for statutory damages as per normal. If they couldn't prove through pre-existing documentation that they really did try to find you through reasonable means, they lost protections; that means if, say, a simple websearch on your work turns up your name and contact info, they lose.

Best as I can tell, the author of the "expose" piece either didn't bother to read the bill or skimmed through it while looking for things to take out of context.

You may all resume breathing normally now…at least, until the next round of drama.

Posted at 1:04AM, Apr. 15, 2008

PANIC BUTTON RESET:

Does no one read at all?

All the current information is here: http://orphanworks.blogspot.com/ and here: http://judiciary.house.gov/oversight.aspx?ID=427

No opinion either way. Just the actual REAL info. They ARE attempting to revive it and going through the process. Enough of this contrarianism disguised as fake "level-headedness".
————–

Calbeck. Read some of the testimonies from the industry professionals on the U.S government website. The "search" idea is currently useless, because people will be searching for images they do NOT have the creator's name and details of. It is almost impossible to find the real owner in that way for the majority of imagery out there with no attribution.

Posted at 1:05PM, May. 10, 2008

The Illustrator's Partnership, a group dedicated to protecting the artist, has set up an online site for visual artists to e-mail their Senators and Representatives with one click.

This is very quick and convenient to use. Simply select the letter you wish to send, indicate your location and click:

http://capwiz.com/illustratorspartnership/home/

Posted at 8:05AM, May. 11, 2008

This is ridiculous. I see WHY it's getting passed, but they obviously haven't considered the side effects on artists who can't pay to get every page of every comic they do copyrighted. They should try to protect the copyright holders.

I hope if and when it does pass it gets struck down by a court after a while.

Posted at 8:05PM, May. 11, 2008

This is ridiculous. I see WHY it's getting passed, but they obviously haven't considered the side effects on artists who can't pay to get every page of every comic they do copyrighted. They should try to protect the copyright holders.

I hope if and when it does pass it gets struck down by a court after a while.

It hasn't been getting passed. In fact, the last, what, 3 attempts failed?

Posted at 5:05PM, May. 18, 2008

Here is the Democrat lead congress doing what it does best. I am not sure why any of you are surprised.

Posted at 7:05PM, May. 18, 2008

Here is the Democrat lead congress doing what it does best. I am not sure why any of you are surprised.

Yeah. Like a republican majority congress and senate did better. This isn't about political parties, it's about ALL politicians being pussies when it comes to corporations.

And if you don't think the republicans aren't in the pockets of the corporations AS WELL AS democrats, you haven't been paying attention.

Posted at 7:05PM, May. 18, 2008

ALL politicians being pussies when it comes to Money.

Fix'd