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Orphan Works Act 2006 - Steal non-US works legally
wisetome.com — About the act that was passed as a bill, and its implications if it becomes a law. It would have drastic effects on artists, writers and other intellectual property creators who are non-US citizens.
Vyoma- 4 diggs
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- rabidsnail, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1This is exactly what we need! There are thousands of currently copyrighted works today that nobody can use even if they want to pay for them because they can't find anybody to pay. With copyright as long as it is, this happens a lot. I just wish it extended to everyone.
- Vyoma, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0The problem though, rabidsnail, is that using this law, people can get away with not paying for the works. It would be drastically misused. The issue is that I am not against works being used for restoration purposes. But I am against stealing.
Consider this senario:
I am a non US citizen.
I create a work, and put example of it on the web.
Person XYZ takes it up, and uses it, with out giving me credit, on the claim that he could not find the work registered in US Copyright Office.
The issue is, me being a non US citizen, how am I able to register at US Copyright Office.
The result, person XYZ stole from me.
Yes, we do need laws that would allow use of copyrighted works when the case is genuine. But the present bill as far as I know, would only lead to stealing. - rabidsnail, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Then you sue them and, since you made it easy for them to contact you to get permission, the judge determines that you were not unreachable. Then normal copyright penalties apply. And don't call it stealing. It's copyright infringement.
- Vyoma, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Well, according to the act, (if it becomes an law), they would be able to hide behind the fact that I did not file my works at US Copyright Office.
Copyright infringment is just a particular case of stealing.
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