(via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDoztLDF73I)
This is important for all artists and creators of any kind. This could severely hurt artists, writers, and creators, and we need to let congress know how against this we are by sending letters to them about it.
The gist of the podcast, as a classmate put it, would be:
"...where today we can currently post artwork up online and be protected, we won't be able to if this law change were to pass, this would make it so that we'd have to register every single piece of artwork for a copyright. That's EVERY sketch, final work, contracts, and so forth. Basically, this is in favor of those infringing artwork than the actual artist.
"This is where my understanding is a little hazier, if someone were to want a piece of artwork, all they'd have to do is change one color in the piece (like a simple changing blues to turquoise or value change), then all of a sudden it becomes a derivative, instead of infringement. This would make it so that they wouldn't necessarily be stealing their artwork but just creating a derivative.
"So if you try to put stuff up on Instagram or Facebook, unless you have the actual copyright (example: if you were to do it today, after having put up [artwork] on your own site, unless you don't put it up on your site or some other website, it wouldn't have copyright), anyone could steal it and reproduce it at will. They could receive all the money and you wouldn't be paid for it."
And my illustration professor said this about the legislation:
“This is going to be a big blow to freelance/contract artists, many whom receive royalties on their work and retain copyright of their work, even after commission. Most salaried positions already work under an extended Work-for-Hire agreement with their places of employment retaining full ownership of the work created under your contract.
“That being said, the part that really gets to me if how it will adversely affect creators. Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution recognizes ownership of one's own work as an unalienable human right that exists from the moment of creation of that work. This new bill looks to take a sharpie to that section and simply blot it out. In addition to this, the new law will will make it virtually impossible an artist to seek damages from any copyright infringement.
“I do remember when something similar to this happened about 6 or 7 years ago. And luckily, common sense prevailed. But it took the efforts of a host of artists speaking out.”
This is super important that we fight against this. It could really ruin our chances of ever having a creation of ours protected.
