[Advocacy Advisors] A Proposed Amendment to the United States Copyright Act

Mon Jul 15 16:23:09 UTC 2013

Hello advocacy advisers,

As an update, here is a request for comment on whether we should support
the Edicts of Government Amendment petition:
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Requests_for_comment/Support_for_US_copyright_amendment_(edicts)

The petition is now a few months old, but the issue may still benefit from
our support (if we determine that is proper). In a comment at the end of
the RfC, SJ provided an update:

The petition writers aren't looking for more signatories. But they would
> appreciate more people blogging and writing about it. Carl Malamud writes:
> "The hope is to spur this as a topic if/when they amend the copyright law.
> [Maybe] blog support for the amendment? That would be hugely helpful. And,
> I think it's important for your work"

Additionally, I would suggest posting an announcement for these petitions
on the advocacy advisory list, to ensure that our discussion gets enough
attention. Thanks to everyone who has participated so far.

Stephen

On Tue, May 21, 2013 at 8:10 AM, Mathias Schindler <
mathias.schindler at wikimedia.de> wrote:

> I would love to but lack confidence to properly implement the
> templates and find the correct wording. If there is anyone who could
> help me out...
>
> Mathias
>
> 2013/5/17 Luis Villa <lvilla at wikimedia.org>:
> > And it is still open for signatures. Anyone want to do a quick RFC?
> >
> >
> > On Thu, May 16, 2013 at 10:41 PM, Luis Villa <lvilla at wikimedia.org>
> wrote:
> >>
> >> I'm looking into whether or not this particular petition is still open
> for
> >> signatures; if not, I'll at least get us in the loop so that whenever
> the
> >> organizers take next steps we are alerted and can be involved.
> >>
> >> Luis
> >>
> >>
> >> On Thu, May 16, 2013 at 2:03 PM, Geoff Brigham <gbrigham at wikimedia.org>
> >> wrote:
> >>>
> >>> I agree.   Our policy for making such a decision may be found here
> >>> (summarized below).
> >>>
> >>> I don't anticipate any issue for staff approval.
> >>>
> >>> Does anybody on this list object?
> >>>
> >>> If not, can someone start a quick RfC?
> >>>
> >>> Collaborative Advocacy
> >>>
> >>> We collaborate with another organization to take action on a particular
> >>> policy or political question.
> >>>
> >>> Example: Signing a petition started by the Electronic Frontier
> Foundation
> >>> against Internet censorship.
> >>>
> >>> Review and Approval
> >>>
> >>> Staff: General Counsel (approval), CFA (approval), Head of
> Communications
> >>> (consultation), and Executive Director (approval)
> >>> Community: Advocacy Advisory Group (consultation), RfC (consultation if
> >>> time permits), and General notice
> >>> Board: Possible consultation
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> On Thu, May 16, 2013 at 1:23 PM, Mathias Schindler
> >>> <mathias.schindler at wikimedia.de> wrote:
> >>>>
> >>>> FYI. (it is my opinion that WMF should support any effort promoting
> >>>> such an amendment to the copyright act)
> >>>>
> >>>> https://law.resource.org/pub/edicts.html
> >>>>
> >>>> TEXT OF THE PETITION
> >>>>
> >>>> To promote access to justice, equal protection, innovation in the
> >>>> legal marketplace, and to codify long-standing public policy, the
> >>>> Copyright Act of the United States, 17 U.S.C., should be amended as
> >>>> follows:
> >>>>
> >>>> “Edicts of government, such as judicial opinions, administrative
> >>>> rulings, legislative enactments, public ordinances, and similar
> >>>> official legal documents are not copyrightable for reasons of public
> >>>> policy. This applies to such works whether they are Federal, State, or
> >>>> local as well as to those of foreign governments.”
> >>>>
> >>>> This language comes directly from Section 206.01, Compendium of Office
> >>>> Practices II, U.S. Copyright Office (1984). It reflects clear and
> >>>> established Supreme Court precedent on the matter in cases such as
> >>>> Wheaton v. Peters, 33 U.S. (8 Pet.) 591 (1834) and Banks v.
> >>>> Manchester, 128 U.S. 244 (1888). The law belongs to the people, who
> >>>> should be free to read, know, and speak the laws by which they choose
> >>>> to govern themselves.
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>> --
> >>>> Mathias Schindler
> >>>> Projektmanager
> >>>> Wikimedia Deutschland e.V.
> >>>> web: http://www.wikimedia.de
> >>>> mail: mathias.schindler at wikimedia.de
> >>>>
> >>>> Ceterum censeo opera officiales esse liberandam -
> >>>> http://urheberrecht.wikimedia.de/
> >>>>
> >>>> Wikimedia Deutschland - Gesellschaft zur Förderung Freien Wissens e.
> >>>> V. Eingetragen im Vereinsregister des Amtsgerichts
> >>>> Berlin-Charlottenburg unter der Nummer 23855 B. Als gemeinnützig
> >>>> anerkannt durch das Finanzamt für Körperschaften I Berlin,
> >>>> Steuernummer 27/681/51985.
> >>>>
> >>>> _______________________________________________
> >>>> Advocacy_Advisors mailing list
> >>>> Advocacy_Advisors at lists.wikimedia.org
> >>>> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/advocacy_advisors
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> --
> >>> Geoff Brigham
> >>> General Counsel
> >>> Wikimedia Foundation
> >>> 149 New Montgomery Street
> >>> San Francisco, CA 94105
> >>> +1 (415) 839-6885 ext. 6750
> >>> gbrigham at wikimedia.org
> >>>
> >>> California Registered In-House Counsel
> >>>
> >>> This message might have confidential or legally privileged information
> in
> >>> it. If you have received this message by accident, please delete it
> and let
> >>> us know about the mistake. For legal reasons, I may only serve as an
> >>> attorney for the Wikimedia Foundation. This means I may not give legal
> >>> advice to or serve as a lawyer for community members, volunteers, or
> staff
> >>> members in their personal capacity.
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> _______________________________________________
> >>> Advocacy_Advisors mailing list
> >>> Advocacy_Advisors at lists.wikimedia.org
> >>> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/advocacy_advisors
> >>>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> --
> >> Luis Villa
> >> Deputy General Counsel
> >> Wikimedia Foundation
> >> 415.839.6885 ext. 6810
> >>
> >> NOTICE: This message may be confidential or legally privileged. If you
> >> have received it by accident, please delete it and let us know about the
> >> mistake. As an attorney for the Wikimedia Foundation, for legal/ethical
> >> reasons I cannot give legal advice to, or serve as a lawyer for,
> community
> >> members, volunteers, or staff members in their personal capacity.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Luis Villa
> > Deputy General Counsel
> > Wikimedia Foundation
> > 415.839.6885 ext. 6810
> >
> > NOTICE: This message may be confidential or legally privileged. If you
> have
> > received it by accident, please delete it and let us know about the
> mistake.
> > As an attorney for the Wikimedia Foundation, for legal/ethical reasons I
> > cannot give legal advice to, or serve as a lawyer for, community members,
> > volunteers, or staff members in their personal capacity.
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Advocacy_Advisors mailing list
> > Advocacy_Advisors at lists.wikimedia.org
> > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/advocacy_advisors
> >
>
>
>
> --
> Mathias Schindler
> Projektmanager
> Wikimedia Deutschland e.V.
> web: http://www.wikimedia.de
> mail: mathias.schindler at wikimedia.de
>
> Ceterum censeo opera officiales esse liberandam -
> http://urheberrecht.wikimedia.de/
>
> Wikimedia Deutschland - Gesellschaft zur Förderung Freien Wissens e.
> V. Eingetragen im Vereinsregister des Amtsgerichts
> Berlin-Charlottenburg unter der Nummer 23855 B. Als gemeinnützig
> anerkannt durch das Finanzamt für Körperschaften I Berlin,
> Steuernummer 27/681/51985.
>
> _______________________________________________
> Advocacy_Advisors mailing list
> Advocacy_Advisors at lists.wikimedia.org
> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/advocacy_advisors
>

-- 
Stephen LaPorte
Legal Counsel
Wikimedia Foundation

*For legal reasons, I may only serve as an attorney for the Wikimedia
Foundation. This means I may not give legal advice to or serve as a lawyer
for community members, volunteers, or staff members in their personal
capacity.*
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