Release the Orphan Works! | Electronic Frontier Foundation

Release the Orphan Works! | Electronic Frontier Foundation
http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2008/05/release-orphan-works
Orphan works legislation has returned to Congress, and the controversy surrounding the bill is just as heated as it was the last time around, in 2006. While a broad coalition of libraries, museums, independent filmmakers, public interest groups, and commercial arts organizations such as the RIAA and the MPAA back the bill, several prominent visual artists’ organizations have been rallying their members in opposition.

EFF strongly supports the legislation. Orphan works reform will dramatically expand the cultural commons, easing access to and use of a wealth of historical works that are presently locked away from public view. It should help create a system in which artists get paid, the public sees more works, and unlawful infringement continues to be punished. But the current legislation could be better, which is why we urge Congress to consider some small but significant changes that should alleviate the concerns of the visual arts community.
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