I haven’t heard yet what Indigo (chapters.indigo.ca) is going to do about its Terms of Service (TOS). I’ve been informed that the “legal team is working very hard to tackle the issue as soon as possible. They are discussing the Terms of Use at length with other legal experts to ensure your concerns are properly addressed.”
And so while I wait to hear what the lawyers have to say (which I’m sure will be couched in the most cover-the-ass gobbledygook), I’ve been involved in a conversation about copyright with a young Indigo employee. Every time I think the conversation is petering out, it rises up again. Copyright is definitely a hot topic. The discussion is frustrating and engaging. It’s enlightening about how some young minds think and informative about copyright. And it’s come close to degenerating to all-out war.
It makes for a rivetting read — you’ve got to check it out! — and I’m still mulling over what to do with what I’ve learnt. One thing I ought to do is digitally protect my writings on this website better. And if I could afford it, I would digitally watermark my photographs. It’s a sad, sad day that I must do this. It’s sad that people feel entitled to steal and take ownership of words and pictures just because it’s out in the public sphere, yet the whole point of art is for public consumption. Balancing public consumption with retaining ownership is a fine line that rests on the respect of all consumers and companies towards artists. Perhaps the tension created by the few who give no respect will never be resolved, and artists will always be fighting the copyright wars, only the turf will change from generation to generation.
Technorati Tags: Indigo, Chapters, Copyright
