Copyright Law and the internet
Copyright Law and the internet
Posted Nov 1, 2024 0:09 UTC (Fri) by Wol (subscriber, #4433)In reply to: Copyright Law and the internet by jjs
Parent article: Open Source Initiative announces Open Source AI Definition 1.0
So USG works are not protected by *US*LAW*, but there's nothing stopping them from suing me in an "England and Wales" court under English law ...
Unlikely, sure, but they could ... (note that the whole point of Berne is that I can sue you, in a (presumably) US court, *as if* I were a (presumably) US Citizen). (Note also, that was a direct result of American law explicitly discriminating against foreign works and authors.)
Cheers,
Wol
Posted Nov 1, 2024 0:17 UTC (Fri)
by pizza (subscriber, #46)
[Link] (1 responses)
Only if they independently hold copyrights on those works in the UK.
(Again, "no copyright" means "no standing to sue")
Posted Nov 3, 2024 22:14 UTC (Sun)
by Wol (subscriber, #4433)
[Link]
Which I presume they do. In the UK copyright is automatic, and I'm not aware of any mechanism to automatically place works into the public domain. In the UK, it's UK laws that apply, not US.
Just because US law says those works are explicitly UNprotected by US law, doesn't deny those works automatic protection under UK law. Berne says (afaik) absolutely nothing about the special status of those works in the US - it merely says local laws may not discriminate against foreigners - they MUST be treated like locals. In fact, I think Berne could be read as we can not UNprotect US works without unprotecting our own government works!
Cheers,
Copyright Law and the internet
Copyright Law and the internet
Wol