Internet and Legislation: Content may be freed from authors’ licenses by law

What is at issue is elaboration of a different kind of copyright and introduction of public licenses according to Creative Commons principles, which would enable to freely use and copy most of resources available on the Internet not fearing of being charged with piracy.

Many comments which appeared last week on the Internet respond positively to the idea of confirming the right to produced content to authors, but make it possible for all interested access it.

A case in point is RBK daily that writes that in case the State Duma adopts such amendments people will get an opportunity “to freely publish their in-copyright content and protect it by public license”.

As for today the law forbids citizens to have free Internet access to most literary, musical and pictorial works without prior complying with certain procedures of transferring author’s rights – conclusion of licensing agreement. Nobody can send any song or video clip to other users without violating the law.

Sources on the Internet are quoting the opinion of Tvigle.ru’s CEO – Yegor Yakovlev, who thinks that: “Introduction of the concept of public license will have a positive impact on the age-old problem of right holders and social network users. The former will get the right to legally distribute their content in social networks”.

“Izvestiya” offers views of bloggers. “Presently any kind of text, any image, any sound goes under protection of copyright”, wrote Dmitry_bloger at livejournal.com. – But what about protection of consumer’s rights? Consumer, who buys software, is deprived of the right to give it as a present, transmit or provide access to other people. This needs to be improved”.

The idea concerning “improvement” of Russian copyright legislation was on the agenda at the meeting of representatives of Mass Media, Internet resources and blogosphere with the President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev this April.