Take care. In reading this article, you may be in receipt of stolen goods. In fact, the organising committee for a certain upcoming sporting event has decided it would be “disproportionate” to prosecute the author of a book called Olympic Mind Games for breach of copy-right. But, under no less than two acts of parliament, it could if it wanted to.
It’s not just that the idea of copyrighting an entry in the English dictionary, or someone’s face, haircut or name, is ridiculous. There is an issue of principle. By declaring images, titles and now words to be ownable brands, these various organisations and individuals are contributing to an increased commodification and thus privatisation of materials previously agreed to be in the public domain. For scientists, this constrains the use of public and published knowledge, up to and including the human genome. For artists, it implies that the only thing you can do with subject matter is to sell it.
Most expression involves reference to something real in the world. Most of our “experience” and indeed our “imagination” are formed from the image-making of others. Writers and other artists are rightly concerned about protecting their own copyright, but they should be equally concerned with the shrinking of the public domain. Ronson’s refusal to be cowed into changing the title of his novel is a victory for the idea that there is more to free expression than the right to advertise.
Another example of political dedication to profit at any cost. Not the smartest definition of ethics.
Olympics, 2012, Olympics, 2012, Olympics, 2012, Olympics, 2012, Olympics, 2012, Olympics, 2012, Olympics, 2012, Olympics, 2012, Olympics, 2012, Olympics, 2012, Olympics, 2012, Olympics, 2012, Olympics, 2012, Olympics, 2012, Olympics, 2012.
Nyah, nyah.
Umm,
Is there a copyright on ‘GOD’ yet??
“Another example of political dedication to profit at any cost. Not the smartest definition of ethics.”
Ethics? When talking about business or politics????? What planet did you just arrive from?
I don’t see ethics involved in these copyright issues at all. It is a function of business/ownership vs culture/access/innovation/comment etc.
“Fair Use” needs more attention from the legislature as the courts seem to be off on a tangent. Further, the whole area of copywrite needs to be modified to restrict this artificial commerce.
I own the copyright for “2”, so there won’t be much of a “2012” whatever. And btw… I’ve also copyrighted the following words and their equivalents in other languages: Aquatics, Archery, Athletics, Badminton, Baseball, Basketball, Boxing, Canoe / kayak, Cycling, Equestrian, Fencing, Football, Gymnastics, Handball, Hockey, Judo, Modern Pentathlon, Rowing, Sailing, Shooting, Softball, Table Tennis, Taekwondo, Tennis, Triathlon, Volleyball, Weightlifting, Wrestling, Biathlon, Bobsleigh, Curling, Ice Hockey, Luge, Skating and Skiing. So, have a bloody fun sports event!
#3 – Is there a copyright on ‘GOD’ yet??
Yes, and you owe me royalty money for using it.
Shouldn’t the Olympics and the symbols be public domain by now?
I claim the copyright on all the letters a to z.
NOW what is you all gonna do?
#5, Jägermeister©
I copyrighted Jägermeister© yesterday (bought it from that awful distillery) so you’re gonna owe me the big bucks. But wait, since your posts make sense, I’ll allow you a full lifetime license to continue to use the name for gratis. 🙂
And don’t even think about copyrighting BubbaRay© and BubbaRayDipDork© Award©, I’ve already done that too!
#8
Thanks yaRabbuB©! (just copyrighted it so that I can continue chat with you)
The Olympics was a noble thought once upon a time, but for the last 25-30 years it have turned into a capitalist orgy with the motto may the best doped athlete win. Perhaps someone should copyright Dopelympics… :?::!:
“Olympics” was copyrighted but not
0lympics
Olympix
Olympic
The intellect is mightier than the copyright.
#9, Dang, Jägermeister© (used under license)
I’ve ruined another keyboard with a brewski©! And it’s the only one I* have! Cripes© !! 😆
* (The letter “I” used under license by JimR.)
By the noodly appendages of the FSM, what are those British thinking? This is some ludicrous stuff! Since it’s the start of a new week, hhopper and I may end up awarding them the UKKMA© and BRDDA©, YEA© (yes! exacta again).
OK, OK, I* give up. I’m laughing too hard to type anymore…
Um Id just like to say that i will be releasing a torrent with that name containg that data, and ill be saying it all day long tommrow.
“OLIMPIX 2012 PLAYA!”, said Joe,
“Olympics2012.”
sue me
I©’m© f©i©n©d©i©n©g© i©t© d©i©f©f©i©c©u©l©t© t©o© t©y©p©e© n©o©w© s©o© I© g©i©v©e© u©p© t©o©o©.
G©o©o©d© n©i©g©h©t©.
I support their claim. After all, they’ll need it to pay my licensing fees for using Britain and UK. I’ve decided not to copyright English. No one wants the English.
I call Shens.
I am quite certain that words cannot be copyrighted. More importantly titles (including book, song, and movie titles) are not copyrightable either.
The closest you can come is trademarks, and there are lots of rules regarding trademarks, including the ability to lose a trademark if it becomes generically used, like Aspirin and Nylon. Google may lose their trademark if they do not defend it.
So if I started a sports competition and called it “The Olympics” I could be in trouble, but writing the word Olympics is definitely not a problem.
I’d like to copyright a vowel.
Oh, thanks for clearing that up ArianeB. You da man!
Olympics 2012.
OK everyone, I just got back from copyrighting the word “copyright” and they threw in this symbol too: “©”.
I am not granting anyone, anywhere, anytime the right to do anything with the word “copyright” or the symbol: “©” from now until the end of time and that includes any Olympic organizing committees, anywhere, anytime.
End of problem.
It’s getting to the point where we’re going to have to start copyrighting our own names for protection. Geez, who is going to jump up and copyright the word “Day”? Tthere’s money in that word.
#20, Cinaedh, and my bank manager thanks you!
The Olympic games predate any form of copyright or patent. So I can’t see why someone couldn’t argue “prior art” about referring to it. And similarly, “baseball”, “football” and “basketball” are copyrighted, just because some big for profit concern runs huge annual game of its own. And also, there is the “Special Olympics”. Apparently the official Olympics copyright holder hasn’t got the balls to raise a stink about their use of the term. That would be a PR disaster, to pick on kids with cruches and wheelchairs. If the court goes along with this crap, then it’s obviously not about logic or fair use. It’s about “when money talks, judges listen”.