4 ms·
I still don't understand why Disney has historically been so paranoid of Steamboat Willie entering the public domain anyway - Isn't Mickey protected well enough
by mortenjorck 9y ago
I still don't understand why Disney has historically been so paranoid of Steamboat Willie entering the public domain anyway - Isn't Mickey protected well enough by trademark (which is perpetual so long as it's defended) that copyright on a 1928 cartoon is no longer instrumental in maintaining the proprietary protection of the character?
- M2Ys4U 9y agoCopyright is as much (if not more) about power and control as is is about anything else. It's one more hammer in their toolset to whack others on the head with.
- e12e 9y agoDon't forget that Disney really knows the power of public domain. Could you imagine if "Snow White" was allowed to enter the public domain? Anyone would be able to retell that story to their children without worrying about performing a copyrighted work in public without a licence!
- earenndil 9y agoWell they can do that anyway. Snow white is a fairy tale that's existed for hundreds of years. What's copyrighted specifically is the disney version of it.