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DEAZLEY, Ronan [Rethinking Copyright. History, Theory, Language]
The nonlinear history of copyright
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The nonlinear history of copyright – and some thoughts about abundance. Rasmus Fleischer [email protected] www.copyriot.se FSCONS, Göteborg, 2008-10-26
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Presentation by Rasmus Fleischer at FSCONS, october 2008
Transcript of The nonlinear history of copyright
The nonlinearhistory of copyright
– and some thoughts about abundance.
Rasmus [email protected]
www.copyriot.se
FSCONS, Göteborg, 2008-10-26
History of copyright
The standard narrative:
A gradual expansion of rights,
an ”immaterial colonialism”,
an ongoing commodification of culture
There has never been a time in our history when more of our “culture” was as “owned”as it is now. And yet there has never been a time when the concentration of power to control the uses of culture has been as unquestioningly accepted as it is now.
Lawrence Lessig
History of copyright
The alternative, nonlinear narrative:
Copyright law has been appropriated forvery different purposes, at different times,by a variety of actors in tactical alliances.
Copyright has changed its fundamental character more than once.
History of copyright
• from 1800: texts
• from 1900: works
• from 2000: tools
Condensed version:
History of copyright
• from 1800: texts
• from 1900: works
• from 2000: tools
History of copyright
• from 1800: texts
• from 1900: works
• from 2000: tools
History of copyright
• from 1800: texts
• from 1900: works
• from 2000: toolsCopyright as ”intellectual property” with market value for the individual
or
Copyright as a strategic weapon against ”mechanisation”
to be used collectivaly by unions
History of copyright
• from 1800: texts
• from 1900: works
• from 2000: tools Different media,
different contexts
= different economic models
recordsradio ≠
downloadingstreaming ≈
recordsradio ≠
downloadingstreaming ≈
History of copyright
• from 1800: texts
• from 1900: works
• from 2000: tools
Downloading massive amounts of music,without given permission,
is practically accepted.
Making massive music archives meaningful is not accepted.Tools for indexing are under attack.
but
Copyright since 2000:regulating tools, rather than works,
uncopyrighted metadata, rather than copyrighted ”content”
Making massive music archives meaningful is not accepted.Tools for indexing are under attack.
The war on file-sharing undermines free licensing.
Creative Commons operates on the level of individual works, not on the level of tools.
Digital piracy is largerthan just online P2P networks!
Darknets, sneakernet...
1998: 8 GB1999: 15 GB2000: 30 GB2001: 55 GB2002: 100 GB2003: 175 GB2004: 250 GB2005: 450 GB2006: 600 GB2007: 900 GB2008: 1,5 TB2009: 2,5 TB2010: 4,5 TB2011: 7 TB2012: 12 TB2013: 20 TB2014: 35 TB2015: 60 TB2016: 100 TB2017: 175 TB2018: 320 TB
1998: 8 GB1999: 15 GB2000: 30 GB2001: 55 GB2002: 100 GB2003: 175 GB2004: 250 GB2005: 450 GB2006: 600 GB2007: 900 GB2008: 1,5 TB2009: 2,5 TB2010: 4,5 TB2011: 7 TB2012: 12 TB2013: 20 TB2014: 35 TB2015: 60 TB2016: 100 TB2017: 175 TB2018: 320 TB
In 10-15 years:All recorded music that has ever been released
will fit in a pocket, ready for copying.
...but will it have any value for us?
When all music can be listened towherever, whenever...
...we start to desire musical experiencesspecific to a time and a place.
When all music can be listened towherever, whenever...
...we start to desire musical experiencesspecific to a time and a place.
When stuff that can be copied become superabundant...
...stuff that can not be copied becomes more relevant.
Creating meaning out of superabundance:selecting, indexing, interconnecting,
contextualizing, actualizing...
Provisional communities:between public and private,
between commercial and non-commercial
Copyright law distinguishes between
1) Private use, privat copying;2) Public distribution, public performance.
The first is left free,the second thoroughly licensed.
Nothing is recognized in between.
public | private
Copyright must draw a straight line between1) Private use, privat copying;
2) Public distribution, public performance.
Nothing is recognized in between.
public | private
commercial | non-commercial
Result:Cultural activities must either be for-profit-only
or strictly “non-commercial”.
Copyright materializes in the city,as well as in computer networks.
“Creative industries”:content without context
There are no digital products.
KOPIMIcopy me
How to integrate the infinite abundance of informationinto our finite lives?
the end
The nonlinearhistory of copyright
– and some thoughts about abundance.
Rasmus [email protected]
www.copyriot.se
FSCONS, Göteborg, 2008-10-26
