Copyright
Copyright is a necessary evil. Without it, others can reproduce your work as their own, denying you credit and compensation. With it, the fundamental principles upon which the internet was developed (i.e. global information sharing) are greatly reduced or removed altogether.
As society moves towards greater dependence on the internet, copyright is becoming obsolete. For every new copyright law passed, someone comes up with at least 10 ways to get around it. For every copyright law enforced upon an individual, thousands upon thousands of others continue to breach it.
One begins to wonder if we need to restructure the system altogether. Perhaps we need to stop applying archaic, real world copyright law to the virtual realm and instead implement an emergent internet law protecting intellectual property, but, not prohibiting its use. In the same vein as “netiquette” for online communities, maybe there should be “netiquette” for the use, reproduction and distribution of intellectual property.
posted by Aisling McCartney @ 6:45 PM
2 comments
2 Comments:
You are right, it is a necessary evil. I still always find it odd though that, in Australia at least, copyright automatically gets applied to every idea or phrase that i coin.
I believe i a missing out on a lot of money in royalties.
But seriously, we were discussing this issue in a business lecture recently. Any work we produce for university assignments; is it ours or the uni's. May seem trivial for undergrad, but think about a post grads original thesis. there are unis that are claiming they own all of their students work, and are publishing it as their own. Suddenly looking a lot more sinister.
Another reason to steer clear of post-grad study...
Seriously though, I think the university has a right to claim the work to a certain extent. They do provide the facilities, funding and mentors. I don't think they should be allowed to claim it all but part-ownership perhaps.
Then again i have never written a thesis so i'd probably feel differently if i was in that position
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