My assignment this week is to express my opinion of the length of copyright laws. To be completely honest, this is something I have never taken the time to think over, because really, what do copy rights have to do with me? I have discovered that they have everything to do with me, because this is an issue of freedom of expression, and there is no one that does not effect.
I believe that copyright length needs to be shortened, or there will be a decrease in the quality and quantity of art.
Because there are artist who live off their work, I do understand the need for copyrights. I am not arguing that they are unnecessary. I am arguing that there is no reason for a copyright to last as long as they do. Such copyrights not only limit what artists are able to use as inspiration, but things cannot be updated and kept “with the times” so to speak, within the public eye. Things will become lost in warehouses somewhere, instead of becoming relics to future generations. I think that a copy right should last as long as the artist is alive and is living off of their royalties. There is no need for the great grand child to be receiving a check for the work of their elders. This is becoming an even larger issue as more and more music, art, and video is being purchased by companies. These companies NEVER die. So will this art ever be released to the public? My guess is no, not to my knowledge. It is not what our forefathers wanted when the first copyright law was passed. If you think about it, the public is being robbed without even realizing it. It is a huge hassle that is the result of greed and corporations. There is a problem with a society in which people are scared to create because they might get sued. It is detrimental and it is impossible to create an accurate portrayal of the world in which we live without making use of the works that inspire us.
This is important, because we are being blindsided without even realizing it. There is no reason for a copyright that has extended beyond its actual purpose: TO PROTECT THE ARTIST. How can it be protecting someone who is no longer alive? It doesn’t even make sense. Copyright is needed, but it is needed within moderation.
You may believe that the current law in place has been carefully configured to be most beneficial to the public and the creators of their work, but really current copyright protects the corporations that are making money off work that never belonged to them in the first place.
We, the public, are the ones are missing out on the art that was created for us to see. Artists need viewers, because without us there is no art. Art needs a reaction. It needs a response, be it sadness, happiness, passion, any emotion. That is why art is here; it is an outlet, and it wasn’t meant to be kept in the dark for a lifetime plus 70 years, or in the case of corporations that buy the rights; they will be out of our grasp forever.
*This website below seeks to inform users on all the copyright restrictions of which you may not be aware. It might even be against copyright for me to link this, I don’t know… it just all seems so ridiculous. Sorry Brad.
Laura's Weblog 
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