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January 1, 2024 is Public Domain Day
- bdw5204 3y agoI don't think anybody ever thought they'd live to see the day when Mickey Mouse entered the public domain. I'm still not sure I'll believe it until the clock strikes midnight and Congress actually lets it happen. Tomorrow is easily the most important and consequential Public Domain Day in recent memory. Even if it isn't the most recognizable version of Mickey Mouse, this is still an enormous symbolic victory.
- 6stringmerc 3y ago[flagged]
- leereeves 3y agoIt's the film Steamboat Willie featuring the characters Mickey and Minnie Mouse. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steamboat_Willie https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steamboat_Willie
- 6stringmerc 3y ago[flagged]
- haroldl 3y agoThe opening of the animation has the phrase “A Mickey Mouse Sound Cartoon” on screen. IANAL but I saw on the news that this means the character’s name and old-style likeness are fair game for new content by anybody.
- 6stringmerc 3y ago[flagged]
- deleted 3y ago[deleted]
- tadfisher 3y agoThis here is why I don't seek out gonzo-style writing. I absolutely cannot tell if you're satirizing your position or if you're doubling down on being completely, factually, verifiably incorrect.
- dang 3y agoI don't know what's going on, but your posts to HN have been increasingly offtopic lately, and against the site guidelines. I'm guessing that it's best if we ban your account for now. You've been a good HN user for many years and we definitely want you part of the community, but only if you're able to participate meaningfully and within the site guidelines (https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html). If and when that happens, please email hn@ycombinator.com and we'll take a look and hopefully unban you.
- delfinom 3y ago$5 that Disney has started using steamboat Willie as part of Disney Animations shows as a logo purely because they will seek to file a trademark lawsuit against the first person they find trying to use what they think is "public domain" Mickey.
- MichaelZuo 3y agoTrademarks are designed to be forever, as long as they remain well known enough, but that doesn't prevent someone from using the concept instead of the actual image itself. i.e. You could write a book with the character mentioned in it just like you can write a book with Coke mentioned in it.
- lotsofpulp 3y agoI am not grasping the consequences of the copyright works entering the public tomorrow. What are they? A 100 year copyright term might as well be infinite. Very, very few things are culturally relevant after that long.
- paulryanrogers 3y agoWell life+70y, so theoretically up to ~170y. Regardless, I'd agree that few things need protecting for so long. Kids can work for themselves.
- mark-r 3y agoInteresting that "Yes! We Have No Bananas" will be public domain just in time to be relevant again. I don't know the current status of the fungus attacking Cavendish bananas, but it's been discussed here on HN at least once.
- memco 3y ago64k watermelons ought to be enough for anybody.
- ChrisArchitect 3y agoSome related/recent discussions: Mickey, Disney, and the public domain: A 95-year love triangle https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=38678021 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=38678021 Public Domain Day 2024 Is Coming: Here's What to Know https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=38586978 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=38586978
- dang 3y agoThanks! Macroexpanded: Copyright for original Mickey Mouse persona to run out 1 January 2024 - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=38799484 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=38799484 - Dec 2023 (10 comments) Mickey Mouse to Enter Public Domain: "It's Finally Happening'" - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=38737164 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=38737164 - Dec 2023 (7 comments) Mickey, Disney, and the public domain: A 95-year love triangle - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=38678021 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=38678021 - Dec 2023 (208 comments) Public Domain Day 2024 Is Coming: Here's What to Know - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=38586978 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=38586978 - Dec 2023 (6 comments) The Mickey Mouse Copyright Runs Out in 2024 - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=36559037 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=36559037 - July 2023 (64 comments)
- 6stringmerc 3y ago[flagged]
- 6stringmerc 3y ago[flagged]
- 6stringmerc 3y ago[flagged]
- shortsunblack 3y agoI am anti-IP, yet I am also anti-AI and think we should leverage copyright law to drive LLM companies into ground. These are not contradictory positions, unless you subscribe to some actual Platonian idealism.
- orenlindsey 3y agoWe've never had something of this prominence go into public domain.
- Semiapies 3y agoLooking forward to a brief rush of editorial cartoon-level works doing absolutely nothing not already covered by parody or fair use. Maybe a bad horror or porn movie. Then nothing, just like happened with Winnie the Pooh.