Joho the Blog
An Entry from the Archives

Larry Lessig urges us all to sign a petition:

We have launched a petition to build support for the Public Domain Enhancement Act. That act would require American copyright holders to pay $1 fifty years after a work was published. If they pay the $1, the copyright continues. If they don?t, the work passes into the public domain. Historical estimates would suggest 98% of works would pass into the pubilc domain after 50 years. The Act would do a great deal to reclaim a public domain.

This proposal has received a great deal of support. It is now facing some important lobbyists? opposition. We need a public way to begin to demonstrate who the lobbyists don?t speak for. This is the first step.

And, yes, if Larry Lessig jumped off a bridge, I'd jump off a bridge, too. But we really don't want Larry even thinking of jumping off a bridge, so sign the freaking petition. The Public Domain Enhancement Act would have the effect of making reverting to the public domain the default after 50 years by putting up the lowest conceivable barrier against it. Great idea.