How Long Should Copyright last? By Brennan Omeara
The Claim Copyright should last around 10 years. Plenty of time to make money off your creating Short enough that it wont imped progress 2
What is Copyright? “To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries;” -U.S. Constitution, Article 1, Section 8, Clause 8 3
Why is it important? Copyright was made to encourage creation. Allows people to make money off their creations When the copyright ends it allows other people to build on what other people have created Once copyright has run out on a particular item the creators are encouraged to make more in order to continue making money 4
How copyright has changed over the years. 1790: Copyright Act of 1790 was created, copyright lasted 14 years, could be renewed for another 14 years 1831: A revision to the copyright act, copyright lasted 28 years, could be renewed for another 14 years 1909: A revision to the copyright act, lasted 28 years, could be renewed for another 28 years 1976: revision of the copyright act, lasted the life of the author plus 50 years (this was to be no par with the rest of Europe) 1998: Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension, lasted the life of the author plus 70 years 5
Has copyright strayed from its original purpose? Currently copyright lasts until the death of the creator plus 70 years Now it is a tool used by corporations to make money Prevent other companies to make money with these ideas 6
An Example Hints 7
It’s… Happy Birthday to You The copyright for “Good Morning to All” was filed in in 1899 This is where the melody comes from Its copyright is owned by Time Warner The potential to be sued Its copyright lasts until
Why the way it is now is bad It prevents other people from adding on to previous creations This has the potential to imped the progress of creating technology People can not add or change creative works to add to already existing ideas Ultimately the way copyright is now is not beneficial to the general public. 9
In Conclusion Shorter copyright laws are better for creation of art For the advancement of technology And general wellbeing of society If you cant make a profit off of your idea in 10, the likeliness you will make money From it at all is very small 10
Resources Clip art Digital image. Public Domain Clip Art N.B. Inc., n.d. Web. 19 Apr Information Should "Happy Birthday" Be Protected by Copyright? | Idea Channel | PBS Digital Studios. Dir. Mike Rugnetta. Perf. Mike Rugnetta. YouTube. YouTube, 28 Nov Web. 19 Apr Association of Research Libraries. "Copyright Timeline: A History of Copyright in the United States." Association of Research Libraries. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Apr Pollock, Rufus. "Forever Minus a Day? Theory and Empirics of Optimal Copyright Term." Rufuspollock.org. N.p., Jan Web. 19 Apr