SoylentNews is people
SoylentNews
As noted a few days ago, many notable works from the 1920s have ascended to the public domain in the US this year, as of New Year's Day. Cartoon Brew asks, What Happens When 'Steamboat Willie' Hits The Public Domain In 2024? and briefly covers a bit of what the public is set to gain. Notably, the earliest iteration of Mickey Mouse will enter the public domain then as a result.
Assuming that 17 U.S.C. §§ 108, 203(a)(2), 301(c), 302, 303, 304(c)(2) is not modified yet again, be sure to observe the difference between trademarks and copyright.
Previously:
(2022) 2023's Public Domain is a Banger
(2022) Digitization Wars, Redux
(2022) Public Domain Day 2022
(2021) Public Domain Day in the USA: Works from 1925 are Open to All!
This discussion was created by janrinok (52) for logged-in users only, but now has been archived.
No new comments can be posted.
What Happens When ‘Steamboat Willie’ Hits The Public Domain In 2024?
|
Log In/Create an Account
| Top
| 28 comments
| Search Discussion
The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way.
Love is what you've been through with somebody.
-- James Thurber
(Score: 4, Funny) by sigterm on Tuesday January 03, @10:32PM (1 child)
This means that Walter Elias Disney (1901-1966) will no longer be receiving royalties for the hard work of his (also long-dead) employees, royalties that he would no doubt have shared with them in the afterlife, encouraging them to continue creating amazing works of art.
As the years go by, an increasing number of these older works will enter the public domain. This could eventually lead to the closure of Disney's entire ouija board division, and thousands of jobs would be lost.
The lack of robust legislation offering perpetual copyright protection for all works of art means that unscrupulous schysters are free to simply appropriate older works and cash in on them without adding anything of real value. Imagine what would happen if someone were to just straight up steal older tales, like Snow White, Cinderella, The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, or Pinocchio, and pass them off as their own works.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday January 04, @07:12AM
OMG that is Terrible!!! How will his family survive? What will they do? This poor starving artiste created this mouse figure and soon anyone will be able to copy it! Some thing must be done!!!!!