<p>Pranesh, might you have a form letter we can sign, individually, and send? </p>
<p>Thank you. </p>
<p>Best, </p>
<p>Gautam <br>
(handheld) </p>
<div class="gmail_quote">On Jun 18, 2011 11:07 PM, "Pranesh Prakash" <<a href="mailto:pranesh@cis-india.org">pranesh@cis-india.org</a>> wrote:<br type="attribution">> Dear all,<br>> I am well aware that there are other issues such as that of copyright<br>
> over works by the government and public undertakings. We have raised<br>> this issue in our analysis[1] as well as our formal submission to the<br>> Parliamentary Standing Committee.[2]<br>> <br>> However, it is one thing to get something that is good (broad exception<br>
> for government works / or even better: making government works public<br>> domain) which is not even on the table, and preventing an impending<br>> harm: decrease of the public domain in terms of Indian photographs. The<br>
> first is a longer term goal than the second.<br>> <br>> Copyright term of photographs is going to increase if folks don't stand<br>> up against it.<br>> <br>> Regards,<br>> Pranesh<br>> <br>> [1]: Analysis: <a href="http://goo.gl/Iv69r">http://goo.gl/Iv69r</a><br>
> [2]: Civil Society submission: <a href="http://goo.gl/9Ws3E">http://goo.gl/9Ws3E</a> / Analysis of<br>> Standing Committee's report: <a href="http://goo.gl/Fs5WM">http://goo.gl/Fs5WM</a><br>> <br>> On Saturday 18 June 2011 06:40 PM, <a href="mailto:wheredevelsdare@hotmail.com">wheredevelsdare@hotmail.com</a> wrote:<br>
>> <br>>> Very contentious issue Pranesh. The issue is not only this - but also to insure that any Indian government works be in public domain as well as that of a Public Servant when on duty (like in the US - after all it is OUR govenment and OUR money spent hiring that Public Servant!).<br>
>> <br>>> <br>>> Date: Sat, 18 Jun 2011 18:04:07 +0200<br>>> From: <a href="mailto:pranesh@cis-india.org">pranesh@cis-india.org</a><br>>> To: <a href="mailto:wikimediaindia-l@lists.wikimedia.org">wikimediaindia-l@lists.wikimedia.org</a><br>
>> CC: <a href="mailto:aprabhala@gmail.com">aprabhala@gmail.com</a>; <a href="mailto:sunil@cis-india.org">sunil@cis-india.org</a><br>>> Subject: [Wikimediaindia-l] Massive increase in copyright term for photographs<br>
>> <br>>> Dear all,<br>>> It seems clear that through a new amendment to the Copyright Act, the<br>>> term of copyright of photographs is going to be increased from 25 years<br>>> (which is the minimum required by international copyright law) to 60<br>
>> years *after the death of the photographer* (i.e., copyright term = life<br>>> of the photographer + 60 years).<br>>> <br>>> So say a photographer aged 25 clicks a photograph and dies at the age of<br>
>> 75 (in 2061):<br>>> Under current law the copyright on that photo expires on January 1, 2037.<br>>> Under proposed law, copyright on that photo expires on January 1, 2122.<br>>> <br>>> The difference: 85 years!<br>
>> <br>>> (I hope I've done the math correctly.)<br>>> <br>>> So only your great-grandchildren will be able to upload that photograph<br>>> to Wikipedia.<br>>> <br>>> As far as I can understand, there has been no positive lobbying on this<br>
>> front by any photographers. No one has really asked for it.<br>>> <br>>> We, from the Centre for Internet and Society submitted a 'civil society<br>>> submission' (with the backing of 22 organizations) which criticised this<br>
>> to the Standing Committee that was examining the amendment. But the<br>>> chairman of that committee did not take notice. In effect, the Standing<br>>> Committee heard only rightsholders (and groups, including ours, working<br>
>> on the exception for persons with disabilities).<br>>> <br>>> Are people on this list concerned about this? If yes, then we all need<br>>> to try to get this particular amendment targetted and struck off when<br>
>> the amendment gets presented before Parliament in the Monsoon session.<br>>> <br>>> Regards,<br>>> Pranesh<br>>> <br>>> <br>>> <br>>> <br>>> _______________________________________________<br>
>> Wikimediaindia-l mailing list<br>>> <a href="mailto:Wikimediaindia-l@lists.wikimedia.org">Wikimediaindia-l@lists.wikimedia.org</a><br>>> <a href="https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediaindia-l">https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediaindia-l</a><br>
> <br>> -- <br>> Pranesh Prakash<br>> Programme Manager<br>> Centre for Internet and Society<br>> W: <a href="http://cis-india.org">http://cis-india.org</a> | T: +91 80 40926283<br>> <br></div>