4 New-ish Pro-Copyright Sites To Read
Since I don’t have a lot of time today for various reasons, I wanted to point my readers to three great new(er) sites about copyright that, if you’re interested in the topic that you should be following, regardless of your viewpoint.
While these sites aren’t new in the strictest sense of the word, none of them are exactly ancient and all came after the last time I did any kind of link breakdown.
Also, considering that so many of the blogs on the Internet take either an anti-copyright or an extreme reformist approach to the subject, I wanted to focus on sites that are on the other end of the spectrum and often get overlooked.
Likewise, since most of the pro-copyright opinion comes from either large trade organizations or big companies, I wanted to focus on pro-copyright sites that are run by individual artists or at least prominently feature the opinions and thoughts of those people.
So, without further ado, here are four newer pro-copyright sites I’ve been reading and enjoying lately.
1. The Trichordist
The Trichordist is written by “artists for an ethical and sustainable Internet” and frequently includes guest posts from from active artists.
The blog covers a wide variety of topics from how to repair the DMCA to the companies that advertise on file sharing sites.
The site also runs an interesting Facebook page called Fare Play that routinely posts outside links and videos.
All in all, The Trichordist is rapidly becoming one of the biggest and strongest voices for artists concerned about the direction the Internet is taking.
2. Vox Indie
Written by Ellen Seidler, who many will remember from her Pop Up Pirates site, Vox Indie is the newest site on the list and also one of the most varied.
While Vox Indie talks a great deal about the law and piracy, it also talks about the business side of things including ways independent film makers can promote online and a closer look at crowd-sourced funding.
If you’re interested not just in the legal issues but also the practical ones, you’ll likely find Vox Indie to be a must-read site.
3. FFF Fighters
Technically a Facebook group and not a page, FFF Fighters is spearheaded by musician Patrick Vega and posts links to relevant copyright, piracy and other related news.
However, Vega also routinely posts his own thoughts and ideas, sharing quotes that he found compelling or just his viewpoints on various copyright matters.
Though the group doesn’t always get the news first, it’s clear that Vega is a very passionate man on this topic and his hard work shows. However, bear in mind that new members of the group require administrator approval so there may be some delay before you are accepted, if you are.
4. CopyHype
Technically, there’s nothing new about this site and I’m including it simply because I didn’t in the last link list and I would be remiss if I did not this time as well.
Written by the brilliant Terry Hart, who passed the Pennsylvania Bar exam in February and is awaiting licensing, Copyhype is a law blog that’s written dense and covers legal issues with great detail and care. However, in between the legal rulings and analysis, Hart finds at least some time for relevant commentary
It’s no wonder that he recently appeared on This Week in Law and has been regularly cited in research papers and books on the topic of copyright.
If you don’t mind your reading being a bit more legally dense, this is a site you need to start reading.
Bottom Line
One thing that I’ve noticed in the past year or so is that more and more artists have begun speaking out and talking about the issues of copyright, braving the wrath of an Internet that, at times at least, thinks copyright holders want to destroy everything digital.
Much of this seemed to have began after the SOPA/PIPA protests in January, where many artists that supported copyright, but felt left out of the discussions around the bills, wanted to have a voice.
And that, in turn, is a good thing. The individual artist (or attorney) that wants a voice can have it online and they don’t have to speak through a trade organization they may disagree with.
By talking and getting their work out there, these individual are telling a side of the story often lost in the us vs. them struggle, the tale of individuals trying to make a living online. Sometimes it’s a story of frustration, sometimes of hope and sometimes of excitement, but it’s their story.
And whether you agree or disagree, it’s a story worth listening to.
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