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Three Things You MUST Know About the Public Domain
from:You most likely already know that you can make money from the public domain by repackaging books, videos, music, images, pictures, and more. With millions and millions of items free for the taking, it is no wonder that the public domain is such a hot topic for Internet marketers. Following, we’ll discuss a few things about the public domain, that while they are not secrets as such, they are important for you to consider as you build your Internet marketing fortune.
Be Aware of Gender Biases
Unless you’re fortunate enough to find something as rich as Napoleon Hill’s “Think and Grow Rich,” you probably don’t want your public domain products to scream “public domain.” In most cases, you will want your customers to view them as hot, new and fresh products. No one needs to know you got a good portion of them for free! Since most products that are now in the public domain were created before 1923, they were created at a time when women held a much different role in society. For example, most women during that time did not work outside the home as they do today. By the same token, most men didn’t change diapers, cry, or help out around the house, let alone would you hear of a stay at home father.
You may not run across any gender biases at all in your public domain materials. It will depend largely on the subject but if you do, be sure and rephrase the material to reflect today’s society.
The Internet has no Country
Laws governing the public domain are country specific and each country’s laws are not necessarily the same. This means that if you live in the United States and you procure an item from the public domain over the Internet, the laws that govern the country where the work was published are the laws that govern. So not only will you need to check the laws of your country regarding public domain, you will also need to check the laws of the country where the work was published.
Government Works are in the Public Domain
Although it is true that works that the government produces are indeed part of the public domain, there are many, many individuals and companies that contract with the government to do work for them and in this case, the work may not be in the public domain at all. This can and often is confusing. Say the government publishes a pamphlet. According to the law, one would assume that this work is automatically in the public domain. But a closer check reveals that the government contracted with an individual to produce the pamphlet. In this case, the work would be copyrighted and afforded protection under the law. Therefore, it is always best to check and make sure the work in question is really a part of the public domain rather than assume so.
Public Domain News
Supreme Court Says Congress May Re-Copyright Public Domain Works
Congress may take works out of the public domain and grant them copyright status, the Supreme Court ruled Wednesday. The top court was ruling on a petition by a group of orchestra conductors, educators, performers, publishers and film archivists who urged the justices to reverse an appellate court that ruled against the group, which has relied on artistic works in the public domain for their ...
Read more...Supreme Court: public domain works can be re-copyrighted
In a 6-2 decision in Golan v. Holder, American's top court said that Congress can comply with the international Berne Convention treaty which requires protecting works in the public domain in the United States that are still copyrighted elsewhere.
Read more...Public domain copyright renewable, says top US court
The US Supreme Court has upheld a federal law that restored copyright protection to works that had entered the public domain.
Read more...Supreme Court to public domain: Let's fence you in
The Supremes say Congress can force public-domain works back into copyright, in consideration to the Berne Convention treaty.
Read more...Supreme Court rules Congress can re-copyright public domain works
Congress may take books, musical compositions and other works out of the public domain, where they can be freely used and adapted, and grant them copyright status again, the Supreme Court ruled Wednesday. In a 6-2 ruling, the court ruled that just because material enters the public domain, it is not “ territory that works may never exit .” (PDF) Read the comments on this post
Read more...Opinion recap: The public domain shrinks
Analysis In a historic ruling on Congress’s power to give authors and composers monopoly power over their creations, the Supreme Court on Wednesday broadly upheld the national legislature’s authority to withdraw works from the public domain and put them back under a copyright shield. While the ruling at several points stressed that it was a [...]
Read more...Supreme Court Backs Congress' Power to Shrink Public Domain
In the midst of a battle over SOPA, the controversial anti-piracy legislation, the Supreme Court backed Congress' authority to take foreign works out of the public domain.
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