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In the UK, if a company that owns intellectual property is dissolved, it becomes bona vacantia, and is officially property of the King. There's an entire gover
by RobotToaster 3y ago
In the UK, if a company that owns intellectual property is dissolved, it becomes bona vacantia, and is officially property of the King.
There's an entire government department dedicated to selling this property.
- kmeisthax 3y agoWait, are you telling me that the UK actually has a halfway-decent solution to the orphan works problem!?
- RobotToaster 3y agoThe process is a little arcane, but it's documented here https://www.gov.uk/guidance/buy-intellectual-property-bvc8 https://www.gov.uk/guidance/buy-intellectual-property-bvc8
- DropInIn 3y agoOnly if you think that the IP remaining restricted rather than entering the public domain is a halfway decent solution..... Arguably the American model of abandonment is better because abandoned IP doesn't actually result in any lawsuits, while that UK model is built to effectively encourage them.
- Nemo_bis 3y agoThey wouldn't be orphan if we knew who holds the corresponding rights. Selling the liquidated estates could help with certain out of commerce works, but I wonder how many such cases exists. Usually other publishers buy the catalogue just to keep it quiet and reduce the competition, even if they have no intention to reprint anything.