We are all connected all the time, electronically, it seems, so what to make of authorship, copyrights, moral and commercial rights to writing, music, and so on. As everyone is forwarding, what is the true source of material, and how do you prove it? Next week, I hope to have a brief, basic explanation of new laws — equally confusing — governing copyrights. Meanwhile, here are three divergent stories all focusing on the issue:
One
An Australian record label may have picked a fight with the wrong guy. The label sent a standard takedown notice threatening to sue after YouTube computers spotted its music in a video. It turns out that video was posted by one of the most famous copyright attorneys in the world, and (Harvard Law Professor) Lawrence Lessig is suing back. The story was reported on National Public Radio last week.
Two
Dan Gillmore reports in The Guardian about "the copyright cartel's plot to indoctrinate California kindergartens — sharing is the essence of digital creativity, but its enemies want to brainwash grade-schoolers with their commercial interests":
In kindergarten, we teach children to share. By second grade — if people who bring you songs and pixie dust have their way — we'll amend that in a major way.Hollywood and the recording industry (a.k.a. the Copyright Cartel) are leading the charge to create grade school lessons that — at least, in their draft form, as published by Wired — have a no-compromise message: if someone else created it, you need permission to use it.
Sounds wonderful, until you think about how creativity actually works. And never mind that the law, already tipped in favor of copyright holders, doesn't hold such an absolutist position.
Three
With copyrights soon to expire, several major labels are releasing huge box sets of their holdings for their last hurrah at ridiculously low prices. One of the first was Sony Classical's complete Stravinsky Conducts Stravinsky series on 22 CDs for $45.
Others from Sony are complete editions of Toscanini, Rubinstein, and Heifetz, with Horowitz on the way. Universal has released sets of Curzon, Ferrier, the complete operas of Wagner and Verdi, Solti's Wagner Ring remastered, and two delicious 50-CD boxes of Mercury Living Presence with a third set reportedly in the works. Decca will celebrate the Britten centennial soon with all of the composer's recordings in one mammoth set. And the prices are insane. See more here.