SU: Tuesday

Today we spent the majority of the morning talking about copyright. I had never realized how complicated some of the rules were. Anything is technically copyrighted if it is recorded in some format (i.e. writing, auditory recording, videotaping). You can also get it officially registered by sending it to the government's copyright branch with $45. We also looked at this incredibly complicated chart about exactly when certain materials lose their copyright and become public domain. Oddly enough, Mickey Mouse is one of those materials that never seems to have its copyright expire.

This explains why classical music can be openly used. Most things before 1923 have entered the public domain. Things from 1923-the 1970s that have neglected to have their copyrights renewed are also public domain. For example, Herman Melville's Moby Dick and Margaret Mitchell's Gone With the Wind.

While I see the point in protecting an author/composer's work, I feel like these laws are confusing. They're easy to break because the consumer doesn't generally have reason to care or possess a clear understanding of these laws. Copyright laws are a mess!