Copyright, Fairuse, etc

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Copyright, Fairuse, etc

REF: "Cyberlaw: The Law of the Internet", by Jonathan Rosenoer, ISBN 0.387.94832.5 (Springer!, Kentfield, Calif, 1996), LCCN KF.390.5.C6.R668.1997, Pp.16-18. This is a superb reference work, every library in the world should have a copy! BEGIN BLOCK QUOTE P.16 Section L. Fair Use As described by the U.S. Supreme Court, "[f]"air use was traditionally defvined as 'a privlige in others than the owner of the copyright to use the copyrighted material in a reasonable manner without his [!] consent." [71] The fair use privlige is now codified as Section 107 of the Copyright Act: Not-with-standing the provisions of sections 106 and 106A, the fair use of a copyrighted work, including such use by reproduction of copies or phono-records of by any [P.17] other means specified by that section, for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use), scholarship, or research, is not an infringement of copyright. In determining whether the use made of a work in any particular case is a fair use the factors to be considered shall include -- 1) the purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of a commercial nature or for non-profit educational purposes; 2) the nature of the copyrighted work; 3) the amount and substatiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole; and 4) the effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work. [72] Importantly, review of this non-exclusive list makes clear that simply copying a small portion of a work and acknowledging the sources is not necessarily "fair use". To invoke the fair use defence, a person must have an authorised copy of the work.[73] A fair use claim may be denied where an original work has been copied but then transformed so that it no longer resembles the original. In certain instances, however, such "intermediate" copying may be allowed to provide access to un-protected ideas and processes. In a case concerning the Internet posting of copies of published and un-published works of the Church of Scientology by Dennis Erlich, a former chruch memember, his claimed purpose was to "evoke discussion regarding various Scientology philsophies". The court accepted this claim, as there was "insufficient evidence to support plaintiffs' cl;aim tha Erlich's copying was made out of spite or for other destructive reasons...[75] But the court noted despite his critical purpose, Erlich did little other than to copy the Church's work. [76] And [P.18] there was no evidence that Erlich personally financially, or professionaly, as a result of the postings. The cout commented, "[I]f mere recognition by one's peerss constituted "personal profit" to defeat a finding of a non-commercial use, courts would seldom find any criticsm fair use and much valuable ciriticsm would be discouraged." [77,loc cit]. Internal notes to the extract (original numbering from op.cit. [71] Harper & Row, Publishers, Inc. v. Nation Enterprises, 471 US 539, 549, 85, L.Ed2d 588, 105 S.Ct.2218 (1985) [72] 17 USC Section 107. [73] See Atari Games Corp. vs. Nintendo of America, Inc, 975 F.2d 832, 843 (Fed. Cir. 1992); Sega Enters. v. MAPHIA, 857 F.Supp. 679,687 (N.D. Cal. 1994) [75] Religious Technolgoy Center vs Netcom On-Line Communication Services, No.C-95-20091 RMW, Order Granting in Part and Denying in Part Plantiffs' Applicatin for a Preliminary Injunctino and Defendeant Erlich's Motion to Dessolve the TRO... (N.D. Cal. filed Sept. 22, 1995). [76] According the Supreme Court, it is important to note whether the new work "adds something new, with a further purpose or different character, altering the first with new expression, meaning, or message. ..." Campbell vs. Acuff-Rose Music, Inc., 114 S.Ct 1164, 171, 127 L.Ed2d.500 (1994). END BLOCK QUOTE NOTES BY PIZO In the case of the Church of Scientology, it sounds like the defence used a fairly flimsy excuse (evoking a critical dialog; and, again not knowing the details). The way that the work was published and *not* at least required to provide a FORUM, etc. Does sound like it was with intent to damage. It would be the same, as if some one in the Knights of Columnbus (one of those main-stream religions that is well and treuly accepted by mainstream, law-abidingg, up-standing true-blue Amerikuns by Golly!) were to have some of its inner ceremonies, oaths, etc published. What sticks in my craw is that if you are outside the MAINSTREAM then you have essentially no rights. It should be born in mind that superbly good people like John Travolta belong to the Church of Scientology and there there are no end of conspiracy nuts trying to tie it to everything from jihadists as well as (bizarely enough) some sort of back-text for Star Trek! (Fishes out copy of FIRST AMENDMENT; yep: CONGRESS SHALL MAKE NO LAW RESPECTING AN ESTABLISHMENT OF RELIGION, OR PROHIBITING THE FREE EXERCISE THEREOF; OR ABRIDGING THE FREEDOM OF SPEECH, OR OF THE PRESS; OR THE RIGHT OF THE PEOPLE PEACEABLY TO ASSEMBLE, AND TO PETITION THE GOVERNMENT FOR A REDRESS OF GRIEVANCES. Emphasis mine, (ducks under towel).

Chronology

A work composed entirely of copyrighted materials! So [1] we [2] can [3] see [4] that [5] there [6]... [1] [2] Declaration of independence, [3] Star Spangled banner, [4] Ibid. [5] [6] The Hobbit, JRR Tolkien. ...