We're not going to pay AP's extortion fees and we're not going to allow them to control free speech!

Recent AP vs fair use threads ^ | June 17, 2008 | Jim Robinson

[SF Republican]

Were you trying to insult my intelligence or my character by saying if I take it from the vending machine I have to pay? - I did not say that, I asked you a question. It is interesting that you use the word insult. Two times you have come back with derogatory insulting remarks. Now, I have no intention of insulting you I simply was trying to have a discussion on this thread and yet in two cases you have come back insulting me. Why are you unable to discuss items without insulting someone and feeling insulted? You have also indicated two times I am twisting facts, please point out the facts I have twisted, this is a request for you to back up your statements you have made to me, not an insult.

[Grampa Dave]

$crew AP!

[Rosemont]

AP= Amazingly Pathetic

[SF Republican]

Do you ever talk about news stories at the office? At home? Yes I do Should you pay a licensing fee to do so? NO, is anyone asking that I pay to discuss their article?

[Uncle Miltie]

Can we identify the IP addresses of AP organizations and block them from reading FR?

[SF Republican]

I call BS. If someone pays for the newspaper and leaves it for one to read he basically assigned his rights. What are you calling BS, we are saying the same thing!

[presently no screen name]

Your request for me to point out 'your own doings' is work for me. Do you want something for nothing? I have to back up nothing - it's your words, your innuendos but you need to hide under the 'clueless cloak'. You wear it well. Now ta ta.

[presently no screen name]

Uncle Miltie - I like the way you think!

[presently no screen name]

PERFECT! Just PERFECT!

[SF Republican]

Tell lies with no responsibility, class act you are. ta ta indeed.

[modest proposal]

Well the proper tea party spirit is chuck the stuff into the harbor and not look back: even if you want a cup of tea badly. :D

I don’t know how possible it is to boycott all AP articles and still get to read the news. Hmmmm. I definitely am not buying a newspaper anytime soon.

[Winged Hussar]

I am not an attorney and cannot give legal advice, but I don’t think AP can enforce this, and that bloggers can simply ignore it. Two words: “Fair use.” I could see AP having a case only if any of the following were true.

(1) The blogger profited by posting excerpts of AP’s pieces beyond a few words. I was advised that I could quote up to 200 words from a copyrighted book in a book I was going to sell for profit. Of course, 200 words is a tiny fraction of a book but could constitute an entire syndicated news article.

(2) The blog interfered with AP’s profits by making it unnecessary for readers to read the originals, e.g. at Web pages that sell advertising and give a portion to AP—another reason for not using more than small excerpts or minimal quotes.

http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl102.html

If Free Republic is worried about reprecussions, users should not of course post AP related material, but I will certainly continue to do so (within the limits of “fair use”) at the blogs I own.

Meanwhile, perhaps all bloggers should notify AP that AP may not quote more than four words from their material without permission and payment of a fee. AP would have a hard time in court if it violated its own rules.

[dangus]

>> BTW— one doesn’t PRODUCE news stories...one REPORTS THE NEWS. <<

Journalists report the news. Press whores produce news stories.

[Palladin]

I agree with you, Jim! Toss all and any AP articles into the trash where they belong!

[Palladin]

I just canceled my hometown newspaper subscription because they are totally dependent on AP as a source.

There are many other sources for world news.

No one needs AP’s illiterate propaganda.

[okie01]

NO, is anyone asking that I pay to discuss their article?

Tell me, what is the difference between posting the article on Free Republic and posting a clipping on the office bulletin board, followed by a spirited discussion around the water cooler?

[modest proposal]

If everyone who posts at FreeREpublic and other conservative sites dropped their newspaper subscriptions I am sure it would hurt AP a bit.

At the very least it would slightly worsen their situation. Which is what they deserve. That thing about more than four words is just nuts!

[SF Republican]

You did not answer my question, which is your right, I will have the decency to answer yours. None. Just to be sure, are we discussing if an organization has the right to request payment for their work, or if it is okay to discuss their work? That is two very different things.

[Berlin_Freeper]

I have no interest in posting articles from cocaine addicted homosexuals who wash down fist loads of Viagra with chugs of peppermint schnapps straight from the bottle.

Nor from the Associated Press.

[Dog Gone]

So you're saying that if and where it's on sites that you own, unlike FR which Jim owns, you will not be throwing in the towel (avoiding AP posts) but rather confronting the AP, continuing to make "fair use" of AP articles as you understand the legal meaning of "fair use", in intentional disregard of this unlawful decree from the AP?

Yes, that is what I am saying. The AP can send me a bill, or they can sue me.

They can't win, and I'm a lawyer, so I don't have to hire one. Frankly, I think you could win a lawsuit on Summary Judgment. The definition of Fair Use is not "four words".