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Attention, all creative types!
Orphaned works?
According to my understanding, a new Bill will require that you copyright EVERYTHING from conceptual art and ideas through to finished product. You know I am constantly creating something, and if this bill passes, it allows uncreative people to just steal my hard work and design and make anything they wish of it.
I just used this site to compose a letter against the orphan works bill that is on the blocks for 2008. This bill, if it passes, scares me about what could happen to anyone of our intellectual properties. If you create anything, you need to take a look at this at some point.
Click on this URL to take action now
http://capwiz.com/illustratorspartne...&i=87297052&c=
If your email program does not recognize the URL as a link,
copy the entire URL and paste it into your Web browser.
And, I got the following reply:
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From: senator@corker.senate.gov
To: kevinmule@hotmail.com
Subject: Responding to your message
Date: Fri, 23 May 2008 11:54:48 -0400
Dear Mr. Williams,
Thank you for taking the time to contact my office regarding S. 2913, the Shawn Bentley Orphan Works Act of 2008. Your input is important to me, and I appreciate the time you took to share your thoughts.
Like you, I believe that it is important for people to have access to resources and materials without the unnecessary threat of a lawsuit. However, there is a delicate balance that must be met between allowing individuals access to materials and ensuring that artists and distributers are properly compensated for their work.
As you know, S. 2913 would allow potential users to use "orphan works" if they can prove they have conducted a sufficient search for the owner first. If no owner is found they are free to use the material and if the copyright owner later surfaces and furnishes a notice of infringement, the user must pay reasonable compensation decided by the courts. Under current copyright law, there is no regulation regarding the use of works if an owner is not found.
This bill is currently pending in the Senate Judiciary Committee, and hearings have been held. I am glad that the Senate is taking the initial steps to examine this important matter. I look forward to seeing the committee reports on this legislation, and should this bill come before the full Senate the insight you've given here will certainly help me and my staff more effectively look into this issue.
Thank you again for your letter. I hope you will continue to share your thoughts with me.
Sincerely,
Bob Corker
United States Senator
