More copyright complaints

Free Republic | April 8, 2004 | Jim Robinson

[Jim Robinson]

As most of you are aware, we've recently received several copyright complaints. In the last few weeks, we've received complaints from the SJ Mercury News, Independent (UK), SF Chronicle and The Boston Globe. Just a couple days ago the Post-Gazette send a cease and desist notice and yesterday I heard from the Tribune-Review.

Tonight, I got a call from Amy and there were two more registered letters at our PO Box. The McClatchy News (Sacramento Bee) and USAToday are now added to the list of publications that have complained about copyright violations.

Well, folks, the handwriting is on the wall. The complaints are now coming in faster than I can respond to them. John is currently in the process of writing programs to search out and automatically excerpt all existing threads from these sources.

I think we're gonna have to go to excerpt and link for all news sources very soon unless we have written permission on file.

[arjay]

Jim: You have worked hard for a long time to bring us such a useful site. I am really sorry to see this kind of things happening.

Excerpts are a pain, but they beat nothing. We must stay the course and fight battle in the best way we can.

I have been around a long time (since '98) and am a monthly contributor. I will do my best to watch your back and work to keep this site open.

Thank you for all your hard work.

[Mo1]

PING

[Freedom2specul8]

I don't understand why the fair use doctrine is being ignored. Does your attorney have anything to say about it? Do the news orgs think this is a for profit site?

[MJY1288]

Whatever it takes Jim, but the way I look at it is this..., just the fact that they are sending you letters about copyrights is proof positive that Free Republic making a huge impact.

[vpintheak]

They should be happy about all the free advertisement. Half of the sources in the posts wouldn't even get a glance if they weren't here. And yes, it does seem like a lefty organized campaign.

[icwhatudo]

Can an excerpt be something other than the first paragraph?

For example-Can I post the 2 or 3 key paragraphs from throughout a 12+ paragraph story and call that an exerpt if Iam linking?

[henderson field]

The only people who would assault free speech are communists. They're not communists, are they?

[Chad Fairbanks]

I'm all for reasonable Copyright Laws and protections - I'd hate to create a work, and have it ripped off. However, I am also in agreement with the Fair Use provisions - what we are doing IS Fair Use...

[richmwill]

I don't get this at all, maybe it's my own ignorance. But how can you "copyright" news and events? If something happens, say with the 9/11 Hearings, and we want to talk about it- how is that violating copyright laws? If it's the linking of articles- what about sites like Drudge, which is about 95% ALL links to other sources? If it's that- how can you copyright a link? I just don't get it.

[Delta 21]

This all seems a complete contradiction to the (at least my) concept of the internet.

Do we have a list of the sites that we have permission from? I will only bookmark them and give them my bandwidth. Screw the other guys!

[jpsb]

It is just ridiculous that a song played on public airways for years and years can be copy righted by a bunch of lawyers that they can then shake town business that play music.

This Copy right stuff is out of control.

Newspapers want hits on their web site so that they can sell advertising, perfectly understandable. One way (ugly) around this problem would be to place at random, an ad from a list of news paper advertisers as the first reply. I think most paper would go for something like that. It would help them and would not be a terrible thing for FR. Someone might suggest this to Jim.

[Mo1]

Whatever it takes Jim, but the way I look at it is this..., just the fact that they are sending you letters about copyrights is proof positive that Free Republic making a huge impact.

And some of the press doesn't seem to have a problem using information that Freepers research

[potlatch]

They're trying to shut us down, I guess we will just have to start writing 'from memory'!

[jpsb]

me too, I never download music I always buy the CD. dido with movies I buy the dvd. But give me a freaking break, some bands plays "you anit nothing but a hound dog" and I am breaking the law? Something ain't right.

[Indy Pendance]

Most articles are repeated, so we have to pick out the meat and leave the gravy when posting. The libs won't get us!

[Cate]

Wahoo.... you must be doing something really 'right' to get all this attention. You rock!!!!

[MarMema]

Just so you know, some people are proud to have what they wrote posted here.

[Jotmo]

bttt