“Are AI Creators the New Copyright Thieves? Unraveling the Legal Battlefield of Tomorrow”
Copyright—it’s like that tiny, often overlooked footnote at the bottom of a webpage that seems to raise more questions than it answers. Ever found yourself wondering, “What exactly does copyright do, and does it even matter anymore?” Well, you’re not alone! Many creatives and business owners leap into the realm of copyright only to be overwhelmed by concepts like Creative Commons and copyleft. The truth is, copyright has a quirky history that traces back to the invention of the printing press—yes, Johannes Gutenberg! So buckle up as we embark on a journey through time, exploring how copyright shaped the way we share and protect ideas. Let’s dive into this captivating discussion that might just change how we think about our own creative rights. Enjoy the read! LEARN MORE.
This Just In: What does copyright do and does it even matter anymore?
A reader recently asked a fascinating question:
I was wondering about your opinion about copyright as a creative and business owner, i.e. Creative Commons, copyleft, all those things that are confusing! I’ve tried searching through your blog, couldn’t find anything, not sure if I’ve missed it.
What a great question and, honestly, not one I’ve ever really spent time exploring. My site has had the little © at the bottom since the late 90s, but short of thinking it protects my content, I’ve never really thought about the implications. This question sent me on a journey of exploring copyright and its super weird history, and now I’m going to share it with you!
First, a quick disclaimer. I’m not a lawyer and I don’t play one online. I can’t give you legal advice and you should take everything I’ve learned and form your own opinions. Ok. On with the show!
I started exploring copyright by trying to understand where it originated. Believe it or not, copyright was not one of the original laws found on Hammurabi’s Code. In fact, copyright didn’t exist as a law until Gutenberg changed the world.
When Johannes Gutenberg invented the movable type printing press in 1450, the world of publishing went from being controlled by the extremely wealthy (those who could afford hand-scribes) to anyone who could afford a press. With the mass adoption of printed material, copyright laws began springing up to protect the commercial interest of publishers.
Early copyright privileges were called “monopolies,” particularly during the reign of Queen Elizabeth, who frequently gave grants of monopolies in articles of common use, such as salt, leather, coal, soap, cards, beer, and wine.
In other words, early copyright law was intended to give publishers a monopoly over their printed works. These laws provided financial protection to the publishing houses that distributed books.
The printing press made written knowledge accessible to all. As a result, literacy wasn’t exclusive to the wealthy, the church, or those in power (which, you know, were basically all the same people). As people began to…
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