This iconic mouse is weeks away from being in the public domain
www.deseret.com
Jan. 1, 2024, is the day when ‘Steamboat Willie’ enters the public domain

This iconic mouse is weeks away fromn being in the public domain Jan. 1, 2024, is the day when ‘Steamboat Willie’ enters the public domain

  • SCB@lemmy.worldEnglish
    423·
    1 year ago

    The public must gain it’s share of the revenue for allowing a private company to use public domain IP exclusively.

    Pretty strongly disagree with the idea of a company’s product just becoming the public’s because a certain amount of time has passed.

    I cannot even conceive of what the argument for this could possibly be.

    • ZephyrXero@lemmy.worldEnglish
      26·
      1 year ago

      Copyright was never meant to be used how it is today. It was specifically made to protect small creators from having big companies come in and rip them off. Companies were never meant to be the beneficiaries. But lot of lobbying plus corporations are people too bullshit changed that.

      Copyright is meant to last roughly the lifetime of the artist, but organizations can live forever. And then nothing ever goes in the public domain, a shared culture dissolves in to nothingness.

      • SCB@lemmy.worldEnglish
        120·
        1 year ago

        Copyright is meant to last roughly the lifetime of the artist, but organizations can live forever.

        This is why I think it needs to be updated.

        And then nothing ever goes in the public domain, a shared culture dissolves in to nothingness.

        I don’t see how these two things relate to one another at all. We currently have a shared culture.

    • adrian783@lemmy.worldEnglish
      7·
      1 year ago

      the argument is that the people, and the political system the people put in place enabled the company to create and benefit off its creations.

      “we live in a society” but unironically.

    • CaptDust@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
      21·
      1 year ago

      Literally how it’s worked forever, how do you think books and films become public domain? Blame the Romans.

      • SCB@lemmy.worldEnglish
        47·
        1 year ago

        “this is the way it’s always been” is never an acceptable defense of anything

        • CaptDust@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
          7·
          1 year ago

          I’m confused, are you actually advocating for companies to retain control of their properties forever? Public domain exists for the benefit of all people, to keep knowledge and art open and available, and to allow future generations to build on existing work.

          Sure not a huge deal for Mickey mouse because it’s not as important as research work or whatever, BUT considering Disney was literally built on repacking public domain stories (Pinocchio / Snow White / Beauty and Beast directly taken from previous works, Lion King is basically Hamlet with animals), it’s past time they contributed back.

          • SCB@lemmy.worldEnglish
            17·
            1 year ago

            Sure not a huge deal for Mickey mouse because it’s not as important as research work or whatever, BUT considering Disney was literally built on repacking public domain stories (Pinocchio / Snow White / Beauty and Beast directly taken from previous works, Lion King is basically Hamlet with animals), it’s past time they contributed back.

            I’m not sure how updating IP laws get in the way of this and no one seems able to article it for me.

            And yes, I believe that any trademark characters/IPs should be protected forever. I don’t see how letting me write and publish independent Doctor Who stories benefits anyone but me, while damaging the “real” Doctor Who universe.

            Do you have a reason for the alternative view?

            • CaptDust@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
              10·
              1 year ago

              For me it’s quite simple. The options are offering timed control over an IP, or have the wild west of no copywrite. We, as a society, decided we will protect an IP for said time to allow profit and encourage creation, before the public can go wild on it. Without copywrite protections, derivative works are available immediately.

              Under this perpetual exclusive rights system/scenario you’re proposing Disney straight up does not exist. Whichever company held the rights to the Brothers Grimm estate would have immediately cease and desisted Disney’s Snow White. No Disney, no Mouse, end of story.

              Now, that works out great for Current Day Media Giant - but what about tomorrow’s creators, the next Disney that builds it’s foundation on stories like Frozen or Moana? Should those future generations not be provided similar access to their childhood fables? It starts with making Steamboat Willie available.