In the Legal Times, Jason Mazzone discusses the problems of publishers claiming overbroad copyright protection over works in the public domain: Too Quick for Copyright
After decades of claiming they own virtually everything in print, commercial publishers have made abiding by copyright law seem optional. If corporations with their teams of lawyers cannot distinguish between what is protected and what is free for public use, we can hardly expect teen-agers with their laptops to play by the rules.
Prof. Mazzone argues that encouraging use of public domain material will enhance freedom of speech and proposes penalizing publishers who claim copyright in public domain works.
(via LawMeme)
