Saturday, August 8, 2009

How deep is your commitment?


How deep is your commitment to copywrite violation laws?
Do you really care, or are you just afraid of being fined?

Some people don't think of copywrite violation as stealing because they aren't taking anything "tangible," but think again. Check out dilbert.blog's POV on this one:

"When you violate a copyright, you take something valuable from the copyright owner that he can’t get back. You take his right to control where his creation is viewed and how. It might be your opinion that the “free publicity” you provide outweighs the loss – and you might be right – but you’ve taken from the creator the right to make the publicity-versus-overexposure decision himself. That might not seem like a big deal to you, but it feels that way to the person who lost control of his art."

Photo: courtesy of finalpixx (David Beckham getting fined)

2 comments:

Brandi said...

Great post!! I have two views on this. As an artist/photographer, I don't want somebody taking my work and calling it theirs. On the other hand, if I get credit, I am game as long as people aren't making money off of my work. As a teacher, I have to admit that I will most likely violate some of the copyright laws and fair use policies in order to use material in the classroom. I will probably show movies/films/documentaries that I shouldn't. I just can't see myself looking up the laws on things every time I want to use material.

Cookie said...

Megan, thank you for actually bringing to the surface what we are all really thinking. Being part of this age where everything we desire is at the brink of our fingertips, it's easy to brush off creative material in a flippant fancy. I do it. I admit to it- somewhat nonchalantly. Speaking representatively of this generation, it is daunting to have to undertake the responsibility of all the information/art/music/text-prose and otherwise- that is now practically commonplace in accessability that is "stolen." It's a sad truth that I feel completely accultured to obtaining whatever I may desire and there are (practically) no repercussions to reckon with. It's a tenuous line, that I believe I'm rather jaded to, and I'll speak unabashedly as saying- I'm not the only one. The age of information does some fucked up things.