The debate over how long a copyright should last is one that has been fought for decades. One of the arguments for longer copyrights is based in the idea that if an idea became part of the public domain, it would become obsolete and lose most, if not all, of its value and potential. In this way, public domain is seen as the “place where ideas go to die”. Conversely, one of the argument for shorter copyrights is based around the notion that copyright laws are already too invasive and/or interminable. This view would likely be taken by someone who held belief in the power of public domain, rather than in its hindrance.
Longer copyrights is an issue that has been advocated for by Jack Valenti, former president of the MPA, and wife of famed singer …show more content…
In 1998, Valenti lobbied for the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) for the reason that it imposed extremely harsh guidelines and punishments concerning matters of copyright. This included extending the copyright durations on any and all works of art and making them much harder to access through digital means, with the only legal way being through purchase of said material. It is no secret that the reason that Valenti endorsed these strict laws was most likely to maximize any profits that he gained from consumers buying the rights of products that were, by extension, filling his pockets. In a somewhat related note, Yoko Ono has attempted (and succeeded) time and time again to get her hands on any instance and usage of her late husband’s name. Whether it be in a documentary that makes use of one of his songs, footage of him and his family dancing, or even a lemonade brand, Ono has tried her best to gain ownership of each of these properties. While there is no clear motive of her doing so, I believe it to be a …show more content…
I believe that after this time, the greater public would be aware of who or what the origin of any given product that benefits from a copyright would be. This is the exact point of a copyright. It is to protect an intellectual idea so that the public forms an idea of what the company or individual stands for. From this, it forms a diving off point that which a party can develop and continue to craft new ideas from. Personally, I think of copyrights as a taste of future products. I also feel that copyright misuse is all too present within copyright law. This is especially apparent in cases such as the many cases that Yoko Ono has been the instigator of. There is a vast different in protecting one’s spouse’s legacy and blatantly attempting to profit off of every iteration of and reference to said husband. There is nothing that Yoko Ono has attempted to do, change, or create from results of any of the legal battles that she has won or any of the extended copyrights she has acquired. Rather, she seemingly hordes these victories for the sake of pride. If the spread of Creative Commons was sped up even a little bit, I believe it could have nothing but positive ramifications for today’s media. One fear that I can see people holding about the concept of CC is that even though the founder of CC may think it is a great thing that its materials are
Longer copyrights is an issue that has been advocated for by Jack Valenti, former president of the MPA, and wife of famed singer …show more content…
In 1998, Valenti lobbied for the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) for the reason that it imposed extremely harsh guidelines and punishments concerning matters of copyright. This included extending the copyright durations on any and all works of art and making them much harder to access through digital means, with the only legal way being through purchase of said material. It is no secret that the reason that Valenti endorsed these strict laws was most likely to maximize any profits that he gained from consumers buying the rights of products that were, by extension, filling his pockets. In a somewhat related note, Yoko Ono has attempted (and succeeded) time and time again to get her hands on any instance and usage of her late husband’s name. Whether it be in a documentary that makes use of one of his songs, footage of him and his family dancing, or even a lemonade brand, Ono has tried her best to gain ownership of each of these properties. While there is no clear motive of her doing so, I believe it to be a …show more content…
I believe that after this time, the greater public would be aware of who or what the origin of any given product that benefits from a copyright would be. This is the exact point of a copyright. It is to protect an intellectual idea so that the public forms an idea of what the company or individual stands for. From this, it forms a diving off point that which a party can develop and continue to craft new ideas from. Personally, I think of copyrights as a taste of future products. I also feel that copyright misuse is all too present within copyright law. This is especially apparent in cases such as the many cases that Yoko Ono has been the instigator of. There is a vast different in protecting one’s spouse’s legacy and blatantly attempting to profit off of every iteration of and reference to said husband. There is nothing that Yoko Ono has attempted to do, change, or create from results of any of the legal battles that she has won or any of the extended copyrights she has acquired. Rather, she seemingly hordes these victories for the sake of pride. If the spread of Creative Commons was sped up even a little bit, I believe it could have nothing but positive ramifications for today’s media. One fear that I can see people holding about the concept of CC is that even though the founder of CC may think it is a great thing that its materials are