[okfn-discuss] Renormalizing copyright terms

[Rufus Pollock]

On 20 November 2012 20:33, Samuel Klein <meta.sj at gmail.com> wrote:
> David W. and I were discussing copyright terms today, and the importance of
> having an ongoing discussion about optimal term length and how to get there
> from here.
>
> Most people agree the current (c) term is too long.  There are obvious moral
> hazards to letting those in the industry defined by (c) [who are the only
> ones who really care strongly about it] define its regulation.  But despite
> the growth of free culture and free licensing, k

Appears some text has dropped here :-)

> I know, across the spectrum of creation/curation/reading and across fields
> and industries, think the current (c) term is too long.  This includes most
> publishers and intermediaries, who even among their blockbusters get the
> supermajority of profit and revenue from the first decades of a works'
> release.

Indeed. I actually had some very good data on this due to earlier research ...

> There are obvious moral hazards to slowly increasing the term, dictated by
> the few who care strongly about the issue, most of whom are conflicted /
> make their living off of (c) restrictions.

Indeed. Some related thoughts + a simple slide-based presentation of
my calculation of optimal copyright term can be found in:

<http://rufuspollock.org/2009/09/22/talk-at-atrip-conference-how-long-should-copyright-last/>

<http://rufuspollock.org/economics/papers/optimal_copyright_term_talk_atrip_2009.html>

> Now that the incremental harm of perpetual (c) is growing (with lower
> transaction costs, which used to mask that harm) and now that it's easier
> for the large body of people who care a little bit (and are harmed a little
> bit) by perpetual (c) to pool their experiences: there should be some place
> to polish this discussion over time.  An OKFN thread? A QC or PK thread? Is
> there one already -- tracking both related proposed policies and groups /
> politicians who have this as part of their platform?

I don't know of this but I am now somewhat out of the loop on
copyright policy issues. I imagine the "Pirate Party" in Europe have
something on this as part of their platform.

Rufus