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pakyr | karma 1291 | avg karma 5.49 · 2023-08-27 12:18:17

It looks like[0] as of the start of this year, only works made in 1927 or earlier are in the public domain. Copyright terms have regularly been extended by Congress and they are astoundingly long now.

[0]https://copyrightlately.com/public-domain-day-2023/

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arrosenberg | karma 3610 | avg karma 2.83 · 2023-08-27 12:23:25

Also known as the Mickey Mouse Protection Act - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copyright_Term_Extension_Act

Thanks to Disney, this aspect of our economy and culture is completely broken.

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HideousKojima | karma 5138 | avg karma 2.8 · 2023-08-27 13:20:15

Cher gets a good chunk of the blame too

fsckboy | karma 6286 | avg karma 1.89 · 2023-08-27 13:44:57

Sonny gets blame for the copyright extension act, but Cher's royalties lawsuit is not unreasonable or copying rights related... or did I misunderstand or miss something?

secabeen | karma 3793 | avg karma 2.49 · 2023-08-27 19:33:34

> Copyright terms have regularly been extended by Congress and they are astoundingly long now.

There has been no appetite for extending terms in recent years, and things are entering the public domain again, including _Steamboat Willie_. I think there is an understanding that the CTEA will end up as the final extension and that further extensions are unlikely.

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Vt71fcAqt7 | karma 1429 | avg karma 2.2 · 2023-08-28 08:14:45

They extended it to be in line with the Berne Convention of Europe. It won't happen as easily again because there is no precedent for longer terms.

kibibu | karma 1869 | avg karma 2.66 · 2023-08-28 09:25:15

I have a suspicion that this is why steamboat willy has been in the Disney intro for the last few years - so it can be a trademark (which don't have expiry dates)