Monday, September 16, 2013
DTC 356 Lessig 53-79
Copyright is a frustrating thing to learn about, as I found out about a year ago when I watched a two hour presentation on Copyright laws.
That one in particular was at an Anime convention, and explained that everybody dressed up as a character is technically breaking a law (it did note the value of such things, through free advertising though).
It seems to be good at first, the law protects individuals who create something. But the gritty part of it comes in where things seemingly unrelated are then either violations or things that require payment to the owner.
Tinkering was brought up in this section, with the example of previous generations tinkering. Then there was physical tinkering, whereas people of this generation are more digital, tinkering digitally.
It's interesting and sad to read the example of a college student being sued for tinkering, and makes me think about how the ability to mess around and play are increasingly viewed as "criminal" despite their pure intentions.
As the text continues to prove, tinkering can create fantastic things. Great inventions come from play, yet play is being viewed as a violation of some law.
Personally, It seems flat out wrong for a person to need to learn the ins and outs of the Copyright and legal world just to be able to see what happens when you mess with something.
-Thomas Holland
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Any suggestions for how to protect intellectual property while still promoting play and tinkering?
ReplyDeleteI'm not well-versed on the topic, and it's easier to say it should be allowed than to actually have an idea to fix it.
ReplyDeleteBut the addition of some kind of clause that specifically protects individuals who alter or adjust somebody else's property.
Perhaps something along the lines of providing legal protection for those who have been accused of said infringement through the proving of intent behind it.
As in the book though, this would only work if the individual didn't need a lawyer to find this clause, or to use it to defend themselves.
Tricky Stuff.