petersuberFeb 10, 2023

Kudos to the New York Public Library (#NYPL) for mining this vein of gold beneath our feet.
https://www.vice.com/en/article/epzyde/librarians-are-finding-thousands-of-books-no-longer-protected-by-copyright-law

"NYPL has been reviewing the US #Copyright Office’s official…records for [books] whose copyrights haven’t been renewed…The books in question were published between 1923 & 1964, before changes to US copyright law removed the requirement for rights holders to renew their copyrights…Around 65 -75% of rights holders opted not to renew their copyrights."

#PublicDomain
🧵

Librarians Are Finding Thousands Of Books No Longer Protected By Copyright Law

Up to 75 percent of books published before 1964 may now be in the public domain, according to researchers at the New York Public Library.

Show threadpetersuberFeb 10, 2023

If most rightsholders didn't renew their copyrights, when renewal was required to maintain copyright protection, this supports Lawrence @lessig's proposal to reinstate the renewal requirement. See e.g. his _Future of Ideas_ (2001), p. 252:
https://dlc.dlib.indiana.edu/dlc/bitstream/handle/10535/5710/lessig_FOI.pdf

"If a copyright isn’t worth it to an author to renew for a modest fee, then it isn’t worth it to society to support —through an array of criminal and civil statutes— the monopoly protected."

#Copyright #Renewal #Monopoly #PublicDomain

Show threadSimon LucyFeb 10, 2023

@petersuber @lessig

And creators that can't afford it lose their rights?

Show threadlevel 5 troon hazardFeb 10, 2023
@simon_lucy @petersuber @lessig the renewal is still decades after the initial release lmao
Show threadSimon LucyFeb 10, 2023

@dangerdyke @petersuber @lessig

But whilst they are still alive? Would you have homeowners buy their own house again in order to promote open property?

Show threadlevel 5 troon hazardFeb 10, 2023
@simon_lucy @petersuber @lessig a collection of bytes ln a computer or words on a page aren't a house
Show threadSimon LucyFeb 10, 2023

@dangerdyke @petersuber @lessig

They're property just like every work of art, craft and manufacture.

Show threadlevel 5 troon hazardFeb 10, 2023
@simon_lucy @petersuber @lessig property should be abolished hope this helps
Show threadSimon Lucy

@dangerdyke @petersuber @lessig

Societies founded in common property tend to be very small.

Feb 10, 2023 at 10:38pmTusky