Happy 4th Annual Fair Use Day July 11, 2008
Support Creative Commons October 6, 2007
Creative Commons (CC) is holding their 2007 fundraiser now through Dec 31st and they need your help. Creative Commons licenses enable artists (an artist is you!) to grant some or all of their rights to the public while retaining others as opposed to an “all rights reserved” copyright. For example you can grant your fans the right to download your works for non-commercial uses as long as they give you credit, or not, it’s up to you. Creative Commons was officially launched in 2001 by Lawrence Lessig (wiki). Today there are many millions of works licensed under Creative Commons and that number is growing fast.
There’s a lot more to the Creative Commons web site than just Licenses though. CCmixter “is a community music site featuring remixes licensed under Creative Commons, where you can listen to, sample, mash-up, or interact with music in whatever way you want.” There are tens of thousands of samples and tracks from artists and recording labels like the freesound project, Magnatune, Fort Minor and more. All available for download legally, for free.
There are many more projects and tools on their Projects page and while you are there, think about supporting Creative Commons with a donation or buy some geek gear.
Maine passes net neutrality legislation July 12, 2007
First let me start off this post with a huge thank you to everyone for spreading the word about fairuseday, we have been amazed at all the posts worldwide we have seen. So keep spreading the word, remmember your rights should not be limited to just one day, now on to the news.
While a little late in reporting this, Maine passed a resolution last month becoming the first state to advocate net neutrality. The resolution states that Maine will monitor both local and federal governments as well as the FCC for broadcast practices. While the resolution does not force anyone to abide by net neutrality, it states that they will be monitoring many agencies and will produce a report within a year summarizing the findings.
While not a net neutrality mandate, it is a good step in the right direction to know that at least some form of government is out there monitoring what is going on and may attempt to hold people accountable. You can read the full text of the resolution and an explanation here.
National Day of Silence for Webcasters June 26, 2007
Today a nation wide protest of new webcasting rates is being observed. Webcasters are turning off their streams for a day of silence. Some are boycotting music registered with the RIAA.
From the WFMU - Beware of the Blog
“Instead of webcasting silence today, WFMU has decided to boycott all music that is registered with the RIAA and/or SoundExchange. Today, you will hear songs from live performances on WFMU, material from the public domain, orphaned works, music from bands and record labels that have signed a waiver releasing WFMU from SoundExchange’s unreasonable royalty scheme, and music from artists that SoundExchange has neglected to pay.”
Visit www.savenetradio.org for more info. Update: Links to more coverage here.
Free Downloads 9, SXSW 2007 February 21, 2007
The South by Southwest Music Festival is coming (March 9-18) but you don’t have to wait to hear some great music. You can download the festivals first torrent of 2007 Showcasing bands. This ginormous collection has 739 free legal mp3’s all in one 3.1 G download, or download just the ones you want . While you wait for the music to download check out the Film, Music, and Interactive Panels Schedule. The panels are packed with interesting people like Terry McBride from the Nettwerk Music Group, an interview with Rickie Lee Jones, and Gilberto Gill (wikipedia). There’s some fun topics as well, like “Music Litigation Update“, “Why Does Today’s Music Sound Like Sh*t?“, and the obligatory Bruce Sterling Rant.
Making Your Documentary Matter 2007 January 10, 2007
The Center for Social Media is holding their third annual conference, Making Your Documentary Matter 2007, for documentary filmmakers non-profit communications directors, funders and students on Jan 31st and Feb 1st at the Katzen Arts Center at American University in Washington, DC.
The agenda lists some impressive speakers and panel members like Glenn Otis Brown (Creative Commons alumni and later Google), Rahdi Taylor (Sundance Documentary Film Program), Sarah Dewitt (Senior Director of PBS Kids and Parents) and many more. Registration is required and space is limited so don’t delay.
Day Against DRM October 2, 2006
Copyright is broken October 1, 2006
This weekend we did a promotional Music City Tour as part of the “Day Against DRM” campaign by DefectiveByDesign.org which is happening this Tuesday, Oct 3rd (more on that in a future post). So, I picked up some stencils from the local hobby store to make signs and paint messages on the car windows. It was only after the event that I discovered I had just committed a serious violation of copyright law in front of hundreds and hundreds of on-lookers. Down at the very bottom of the stencils packaging in letters so small you almost need a magnifying glass to read it says “These designs may not be reproduced in any form“. Click image for larger view.
I’m guessing they mean any form except for fair use’s such as commentary and criticism, like this post, as well as it’s intended use as a stencil, but you can’t be too careful. People are threatened with legal action over activities as seemingly harmless as embroidery or learning to play the guitar all the time. .
Avast! It’s Talk Like A Pirate Day! September 19, 2006
Yes, that very special day is upon us once again, International Talk Like A Pirate Day! This is the one day of the year that you can sound sane while making comments like:
“Arrrr, that be my mp3 now, ye scally wag, Ye’ll ne’er get me buried booty!“
“Avast! ye filthy bilge rat. That be my intellectual proparrrrty ya have tharrr“
and
“Aye, who needs t’ pillage and plunder when ya can sue land lubbers by the tens o’ thousands? Aye, me parrot concurs.“
These are dangerous times. Having the skills necessary to communicate with pirates is critical but there are some very good resources to help you learn. Happy TLAP Day!
FreeCulture.org at University of Southern California September 9, 2006
FreeCulture.org is growing with the latest chapter at the University of Southern California. This monday USC is holding their inaugural meeting at University of Southern California, Annenberg School lobby on Monday, September 11 at 6:30PM. This makes USC the 39th chapter with more on the way. Check out this map on the Freeculture.org site to find out if your school has a chapter and if it doesn’t, start one!
Anti-DRM day is October 3rd September 1, 2006
Defective by Design is organizing Anti-DRM Day on October 3. They are asking for ideas and handing out prizes for things like Best Idea, Best Action, Best Team Action, Best Photo, Best Blog, Best Video and more.
“Clear your schedule for a world wide day of action against DRM. On Tuesday October 3rd we will all be taking action to raise the stakes and attempt to increase awareness to the threats of DRM - in a very significant way.”
There are some good ideas up already like a Post-it Plague and Get arrested for violating your own copyright. You can even do something as simple and easy as print an anti-DRM image on a plain piece of paper and tape it to your car window.
Down with the lawsuits July 17, 2006
For those of you who may not have participated in the defectivebydesign.com campaigns, they have announced that wednesday July 19th they will be hosting a conference call with Ray Beckerman who is the leading attorney fighting the lawsuits against the RIAA. This conference call is open to the public and the details will be posted on their website Tuesday July 18th at noon pacific time. Details can be found at the link above and more information about defective by design can be found at their website at http://defectivebydesign.com
Update: The audio and transcripts of the call are now available on the site as well for those of you who missed it.
URGENT: The Broadcast Flag Is Back, Again June 21, 2006
From the EFF and BB: The RIAA and MPAA have managed to get the broadcast flag into the official Republican version of the telecoms reform bill and it’s being considered in committee tomorrow (Thursday, June 22). Senator Sununu (R-NH) has filed an amendment to get the flags thrown out. If you’re in the States below, call your Senator NOW, and ask him or her to support the Sununu amendment to remove both TV and audio flags (he also has an amendment to modify the audio flag, so be clear you want to kick out both flags).
For more info visit these links
http://www.boingboing.net/2006/06/21/urgent_call_now_to_s.html
http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/archives/004759.php
Here is the list, call and let your voice be heard!
Chairman Ted Stevens (AK), (202) 224-3004
John McCain (AZ), (202) 224-2235
Conrad Burns (MT), Main: 202-224-2644
Trent Lott (MS), (202) 224-6253
Kay Bailey Hutchison (TX), (202) 224-5922
Gordon H. Smith (OR), (202) 224 3753
John Ensign (NV), (202) 224-6244
George Allen (VA), (202) 224-4024
John E. Sununu (NH), (202) 224-2841
Jim DeMint (SC), (202) 224-6121
David Vitter (LA),(202) 224-4623
Co-Chairman Daniel K. Inouye (HI), (202) 224-3934
John D. Rockefeller (WV), (202) 224-6472
John F. Kerry (MA), (202) 224-2742
Barbara Boxer (CA), (202) 224-3553
Bill Nelson (FL), (202) 224-5274
Maria Cantwell (WA), (202) 224-3441
Frank R. Lautenberg (NJ), (202) 224-3224
E. Benjamin Nelson (NE), (202) 224-6551
Mark Pryor (AR), (202) 224-2353
DRM Stinks. Let Freedom Ring…..the RIAA
DefectiveByDesign.org is staging another protest against DRM. Thanks BB! From the site
On Friday, June 23rd, we will coordinate a day of action, and this time it doesn’t involve yellow hazmat suits. You don’t even have to leave your desk. We will provide contact numbers for executives at the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and similar organizations around the world. We’re asking you to proclaim your support for digital freedoms by calling the RIAA and telling them what you think of DRM and what you think of them!
DefectiveByDesign DRM demonstrations tomorrow June 9, 2006
DefectiveByDesign.org, an anti-DRM campaign targeting Big Media, unhelpful manufacturers and DRM distributors will be picketing Apple Stores across the USA tomorrow to inform consumers about the DRM hiding in Apple’s iTunes. From the site
“Let the fun begin! We will be on-site tomorrow from 10am (local time) getting suited-up and you can expect the action to start at 10:30am - remember to bring those cameras!”
Apple Store - 1 Stockton St, San Francisco, CA 94108
Apple Store - 679 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611
Apple Store - 4702 NE University Village Pl, Seattle, WA 98105
Apple Store - 100 Cambridge Side Place, Cambridge, MA 02141
Apple Store - 767 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10153
Apple Store - 160 Walt Whitman Rd. Huntington Station, NY 11746h
Apple Store - 6121 West Park Blvd. Plano, TX 75093
Apple Store - 189 The Grove Drive Los Angeles, CA 90036
Comedies of Fair U$e at NYU April 7, 2006
If you are going to be near the NYU campus April 28-30 you might want to check out Comedies of Fair U$e: A Search for Comity in the Intellectual Property Wars. This is a week long symposium presented by the New York Institute for the Humanities at NYU in association with The Humanities Council at NYU. Panelists will include Lawrence Lessig, Art Spiegelman, Susan Meiselas, Jonathan Letham, Errol Morris, Geoff Dyer, and others.
Free downloads 5, South by Southwest March 18, 2006
From their about page “the 2006 SXSW Music and Media Conference showcases hundreds of musical acts from around the globe on over fifty stages in downtown Austin…” and you don’t have to go there to enjoy the music. Presently, they have released two torrent files to download with almost 1000 free mp3’s. I have been listening to these two collections for over a week and the music is great. I’ve found several new favorites to add to my play list.
