I wrote my Senator, You should too.posted Apr 13th 2008, 4:22AM
Mood: Angry
Music: Rock
Today is the first time I have ever felt Politically Motivated. What did it, the Orphaned Works Bill. In this bill if you don't register each image you draw or take or any medium actually, it is considered Orphaned and can be used by anyone ROYALTY FREE. Even if you do register with one database it becomes a moot point if someone checks a different one to screw you out of the rightful payment. Below is a link to the article about this, and the copy of my letter.
Orphaned Works Bill
Dear Senator Hutchison (and also sent to Cornyn),
This bill by absolutey no means should ever be allowed to pass. Many independent artists in Texas and the rest of the United States would go completely bankrupt having to register with private registries. Any sketch to full out art piece made by an artist under this new proposal would be too simple to forcibly steal from an artist as anyone could register, and even if the artist themself registered in one database then someone could look in another and claim orphan on it.
This bill takes away from an artist the right to do with their art as they see fit knowing they own what they created, without spending all day every day doing nothing but sifting through databases and all sources imaginable to look for people stealng their works. The average artist can produce thousands of images a year and they should not worry about what happens after they put their pencil down for the day.
Can we as artists trust our elected officials to put this bill in the trashcan where it deserves to rest. Can we ensure our rights as creative minds that we have a place to make a rightful profit off of our works without companies claiming orphan and taking them from us to make untold sums. Public Domain starts a lifetime after the artist dies, don't allow it to start before their next breath.
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