Wk1 Comment #2 to Ginny Holms

http://vholm.blogspot.com/2011/05/copyright-issues.html#comments
Ginny wrote:

As we move further into the age of technology, our simple and easy to understand (and enforce) copyright laws are falling the wayside. Just interpreting each individual's view of what infringing upon a copyright is becomes very broad. After listening to both sides, each one is valid. How do we address the one million ways to obtain and distribute information and content via the Internet? Perhaps we need to rethink the copyright laws and try to come up with a way to distribute to the global masses and yet somehow give the artist the credit they deserve. Maybe we need to narrow the spectrum on some things such as printed materials, and broaden it on others - such as music and songs that aren't somehow documented. I'm sure that music composers and songwriters will have other thoughts. I'm a graphic designer. I know if someone were to copy my work and profit from it without my consent, I would be miffed. On the other hand, if they used elements and made them their own I would be flattered. It's hard to copyright an idea or concept as original. In film, music, art, and advertising its seems everything is borrowed from something, even if it is just a tiny element.

Fair Use has benefited me quite a bit through the course of this program. Allowing to use copyrighted images and ideas in presentations for the sake of teaching is a good thing. I can honestly say I didn't know about the rest - parody, news reporting and critical commenting. Good to know. As for the duration of a copyright, well bad for someone who wants to use it, but great for the artist.

I also learned that Creative Commons has variations on how each artist allows their works to be used. I had assumed that it was only for educational use and you had to obtain permission from the artist for anything else. I am so glad that I learned what these symbols represent so that I don't infringe upon their wishes. I have to be honest I've only used CC for background music. I think I'll have to explore it further.

Ginny,

You are so right about the broadness of the copyright laws interpretation by each individual and their views about what infringing really is. I agree that both sides make for an interesting debate and new laws for distribution should be developed to give credit where credit is due.

I also found it nice to finally understand what the Creative Commons symbols represent.  Increasing my awareness certainly added to my anxiety about how much I don’t understand and need to learn about copyrighting.