This is the drafting space for the page about the 14+14 campaign. For the time being it therefore includes more than just a single page draft.

Super brief introduction

For the list of campaigns...

2010 is the 300th anniversary of the Statute of Queen Anne, which passed restricted copyright into law. To celebrate this anniversary we are proposing that copyright terms return to their original length of 14+14 years, a sane basis for renewed debate whilst giving greater access and creative potential to the public domain. We also oppose the extension of copyright terms, an idea that has passed the lips of industry and government figures.

The main 14+14 page

Linked to from the campaigns page

Copyright terms have been continually extended since they were passed into UK law by the Statute of Queen Anne. As these monopoly rights have been extended, so the public domain has shrunk, losing vast quantities of work to obscurity and limiting the creative potential of future work. There has never been a clear justification based upon empirical evidence for these extensions.

We propose that we return to the original terms by 2010, the 300th anniversary of the Statue of Queen Anne, as a basis for future debate about their appropriate length. These were 14 years plus an additional 14 years if the creator registers. This would reinvigorate the public domain, giving greater access to works that might otherwise be lost to obscurity, and would massively increase the creative potential of the public domain.

New Version by RP

Copyright terms have been continually extended since they were passed into English law by the Statute of Queen Anne. As these monopoly rights have grown, so the public domain has shrunk, greatly reducing our access to creative works, condemning vast quantities of our culture to obscurity and disappearance, and limiting the opportunities for future creators to build upon the works of the past.

The 14+14 campaign seeks to return copyright to its original 14+14 term as laid down in the Statute of Queen Anne (14 years with the option of a 14 year renewal). As we enter the digital age with its democratisation of creative participation and its possibilities for zero-cost access and distribution it is appropriate that we return to the balance struck almost 300 years ago between the costs and benefits of copyright monopolies.

For it is sometimes forgotten in the constant talk of 'rights' that copyright is just a temporary monopoly granted to increase the supply of creative works by allowing artists and others to obtain a greater return for their efforts than would occur were reproduction permitted freely. Such a monopoly inevitably entails costs due to the restriction in access to creative works and the reduced ability of creators to build upon and engage with the culture around them through reuse. It is essential that the costs of such a monopoly be weighed against its benefits. A return to the original term will restore a balance long lost in three centuries of special-interest lobbying.

Another version by TC

Copyright terms have been continually extended since they were passed into English law by the Statute of Queen Anne. As these monopoly rights have grown, so the public domain has shrunk, greatly reducing our access to creative works, condemning vast quantities of our culture to obscurity or disappearance, and limiting the opportunities for future creators to build upon the works of the past.

The 14+14 campaign seeks to return copyright to its original 14+14 term as laid down in the Statute of Queen Anne (14 years with the option of a 14 year renewal). We are entering the digital age, in which creative participation is open to all thanks to zero-cost access and distribution, making current copyright terms outdated. It is appropriate that we return to the balance struck almost 300 years ago between the costs and benefits of copyright monopolies, to start afresh in our thinking about copyright.

For it is sometimes forgotten in the constant talk of 'rights' that copyright is a bargain between creators and society as a whole. It is a temporary monopoly granted by society to the creator in return for increased productivity. Whilst copyright helps creators be paid for their work it also restricts the extent to which they can work with existing material, and it restricts society's access to the work. It is essential that the benefits of such a monopoly be weighed against its costs. A return to the original term will restore a balance long lost in three centuries of special-interest lobbying, ready for renewed debate appropriate for our times.

Take action!

Here are some ways that you can take action to show you support, and to oppose further copyright extensions:

Learn more

Follow these links to read more about the copyright debate:

None: FourteenPage (last edited 2008-01-14 11:33:48 by RufusPollock)