William C. Smith
Poetic copyright troll illustrates need for reform
Poetic copyright troll illustrates need for reform
Linda Ellis, copyright troll:
If protecting my rights in your eyes makes me a “troll,” then I’ll wear the badge proudly and keep fulfilling my role.
Current law does allow hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages for sharing drivel like the Ellis train wreck above. Real reform is needed, but it’s unlikely to get the requisite congressional attention any time soon.
Advocacy group Public Knowledge has a good start, called the Copyright Reform Act. It’s model legislation meant to provide a starting point for practical copyright reforms.
I haven’t read it all yet, but I’m confident it doesn’t allow hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages for having your crappy poetry shared on the internet by strangers with bad taste in literature…