In response to the stunning decision in Eldred v. Ashcroft, we have come up
with an idea that we would like discussed here.
It is for a tiny tax on works in the 50th year of copyright. If the tax is not paid, the work would enter the public domain. Thus works with no commercial value would enter the public domain much as they would earlier when the term expired. Works with commercial value would be paid for and would enjoy the current copyright term. The tax could go to support the registration process.
Maybe 50 years of copyright is too long. The Economist has spoken out for a 14 year renewable term. But we recognize we have to make significant compromises with the strong copyright interests in Hollywood in order to persuade Congress about the benefits of this proposed act.
For more information, please see
http://cyberlaw.stanford.edu/lessig/blog/archives/EAFAQ.html
What do you think?
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