Blogging on Meds

I’m already hacking away at this freelancing biz like a recreational journalist, I don’t need any more hurdles like losing ownership of my work.

Two years ago there was a massive petition effort by photogs, illustrators and artists that shot down what was called the Orphan Works Bill, which would’ve made it more difficult to chase down companies that steal your work. (or made it way easier to profit on others’ creativity without paying them)

The Illustrators Partnership confirmed this week that Congress has sent it a new copy of the bill that was to be introduced within days. And considering the elections and summer campaigning, the bet is that it will be fast-tracked and up for vote by mid-May — which is way, way less time to organize an opposition like last time.

The bill text isn’t up on thomas.loc.gov, nor was it on any schedules, but this blogger and bill supporter says it was introdcued today. He also says worked with the staff writing the legislation, and he’s posted PDFs, presumably of the Senate version and the House’s.

An artist-perspective summation (disregard the cheezy intro and sleazy top-level domain) from earlier this month was confirmed as being accurate by the Illustrators Parnership after it got the bills. Dude’s site also has a q&a primer.

The gist is that the bill would cancel copyrights on all works the made up to 30 years ago and on. In order to have them protected, the owner will have to list them with private registries, which don’t exist yet.

The bill is generally popular because it’s sold as benefiting libraries and museums so they can use old stuff whose owners can’t be located (hence the bill title). There’s also scare tactic argument floated by academics that copyrights hold them back from doing work because they’re scared of infringement lawsuits.

I know some people who are pscyhed for this thing, but a lot more people I know are gonna be fucked out of their work. If it passes, it’ll completely change a lot of industries. The best bet would be then would be to drop out and start up one of the registries.

But if you want to complain, you can easily find the right person here.

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