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Seems like that would cause a perpetual copyright paradox. If the characters remain reserved so long as one story or more containing them remains in copyright,
by noonespecial 13y ago
Seems like that would cause a perpetual copyright paradox. If the characters remain reserved so long as one story or more containing them remains in copyright, the rights holders (the estate in this case) could simply authorize themselves to keep publishing stories containing them.
Locking characters themselves away from public culture forever seems like the exact opposite of the original notion of limited copyright. I cynically expect them to win handily.
All you really need to know about copyright is that Mickey Mouse and The Beetles will never enter the public domain. Extrapolate from there. Its like predicting the future. If it happened a little faster, it'd be a fun party trick.
- derefr 13y agoAt this point, I wish we could just pass a stupid special-case law granting Disney and Apple Music whatever copyrights they currently hold in perpetuity, so that the rest of the copyright system could get back to being useful/healthy.
- quink 13y agoForce them to, after let's say 28 years of copyright, to pay an ever increasing percentage of the revenue they earn from the characters as a tax to keep them out of the public domain. 35-50 years of extra copyright = 30% of revenue. 50-70 years of extra copyright = 65% of revenue. 70-100 years of extra copyright = 90% of revenue. 100+ years of extra copyright = 200% of revenue. And so on. Just need to administer this scheme, which would be a logistical impossibility. Yay.
- beagle3 13y ago> Just need to administer this scheme, which would be a logistical impossibility. Yay. Actually, ridiculously easy to administer: The enforcement you get depends on your reporting (and tax paid). If you claim to have made $x in a given year, you cannot sue any one individual for more than $x loss in that year. So, if Disney properly reports - it is administered. If Disney under reports - they let infringers off the (full) hook. If they do a Hollywood Accounting and claim loss every year - well, then, they can't sue any infringer for it. The only thing giving them any standing is copyright law. Just tie it to taxation, and all will be well.
- anigbrowl 13y agoI seriously doubt that they'll win this, although I have to grant them Moriarty-like ambition.
- mistercow 13y agoCaseful, that comparison might be a copyright violation.
- atlantic 13y agoThe Beetles -> The Beatles
- noonespecial 13y agoYeah. Noticed it just after I lost the ability to edit. Oh iPhone, of all the devices to betray me thusly.