Friday , March 29 2024

Public Domain Enhancement Act

Lessig on the move with an interesting public domain initiative:

    We have launched a petition to build support for the Public Domain Enhancement Act. That act would require American copyright holders to pay $1 fifty years after a work was published. If they pay the $1, the copyright continues. If they don’t, the work passes into the public domain. Historical estimates would suggest 98% of works would pass into the pubilc domain after 50 years. The Act would do a great deal to reclaim a public domain.

    This proposal has received a great deal of support. It is now facing some important lobbyists’ opposition. We need a public way to begin to demonstrate who the lobbyists don’t speak for. This is the first step.

    If you are an ally in at least this cause, please sign the petition…

$1 is hardly requiring copyright holders to jump through flaming hoops to retain their copyright, yet even this nominal requirement would greatly increase the vibrancy of the public domain. It’s a great idea.

About Eric Olsen

Career media professional and serial entrepreneur Eric Olsen flung himself into the paranormal world in 2012, creating the America's Most Haunted brand and co-authoring the award-winning America's Most Haunted book, published by Berkley/Penguin in Sept, 2014. Olsen is co-host of the nationally syndicated broadcast and Internet radio talk show After Hours AM; his entertaining and informative America's Most Haunted website and social media outlets are must-reads: Twitter@amhaunted, Facebook.com/amhaunted, Pinterest America's Most Haunted. Olsen is also guitarist/singer for popular and wildly eclectic Cleveland cover band The Props.

Check Also

Interview: Thu Vo, Author of ‘Daddy, Am I Beautiful?’

Author Thu Vo recently answered our questions about the new book 'Daddy, Am I Beautiful?', the first book in the Apple Tart book series, where young girl name Annabelle who is teased at school for expressing herself in a princess costume then discusses her emotions with her father. 'Daddy, Am I Beautiful?' is now available on Amazon.com as an eBook for Kindle, Kindle Fire, and Kindle App.