Book Summary:
Although most of us think we know something about copyright law, few of us know what's fully protected and what's not. For artists, especially those who publish their work on the Web, copyright issues are now more important than ever, and the book to use as a point of reference is Electronic Highway Robbery: An Artist's Guide to Copyrights in the Digital Era. Mary Carter wisely says that you can't stop everyone from downloading your images and copying them, and she points out that in some cases it doesn't matter. She also considers the notions that copyright law is obsolete and that artists should use the Web for giving free samples of their work in order to encourage purchases. She discusses digital watermarking; work for hire; fair use of images, including comment, parody, and criticism; and de minimis doctrine--the idea that copying an insignificant portion of an image is acceptable. This is a fine book for artists who want guidance in following copyright law and in enforcing their own copyrights. |