Computer Ethics, Spring 2017
Comm 010, 4:15-6:45 Thursdays
Class 2
Week 2 Readings
Read all of chapter 1 and read the first three sections
of chapter 4.
Walt Disney died in 1966. Before the Copyright Term Extension Act,
individual works could be copyrighted until 50 years after the author's
death. But Mickey Mouse was considered to be a "corporate work".
Steamboat Willie
(the first Mickey Mouse cartoon) was published in 1928. At the time,
corporate works could be copyrighted for 56 years; this would have expired
in 1984. In 1976, Congress extended this to 75 years, so Mickey would expire
in 2003.
The Copyright Term Extension Act extended the protection lifetime of
corporate works to 95 years. Now Mickey is good until 2023.
What Disney really does not want are "derivative works" based on
Mickey Mouse. That is, somebody else doing Mickey Mouse cartoons.
Start: The
Music Industry