HIGHLA-L Digest - 13 Feb 2005 to 14 Feb 2005 (#2005-17)
Automatic digest processor (LISTSERV@lists.psu.edu)
Mon, 14 Feb 2005 22:00:03 -0500
There are 2 messages totalling 96 lines in this issue.
Topics of the day:
1. FYI possible story pirating and potentially very bad news (2)
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Date: Mon, 14 Feb 2005 11:46:44 -0800
From: Lorna Marie <piglet@stjohncable.com>
Subject: FYI possible story pirating and potentially very bad news
I just got the following on another list I am on and after a quick sweep
throuh the digests I did not see any mention of it here so pasting the
message. If you do not write Adult stories do not be concerned as this site
is primarily devoted o adult content.
> Copied entirely from a LiveJournal post by Lori, by way of Elynross
> and Adonnchaid. I'm posting it here in case no one knows about. Ker, I
> believe I saw one of your HL fics there, under slash. Did you give
> permission to sell?
>
> ---
> The site, The A1 File Library, is selling fanfiction stories in
> various fandoms by authors that I'm 99% sure did not give permission
> (url: http://www.a1fl.com/XT/XT.HTML). Fandoms include HL, XF, ST:TNG,
> and possibly others. Names I recognize include [info]maygra,
> [info]kelliem, Meg Wittenmeyer, Laurel Adams, Paige Foster, Ruth
> Crickard, the Smut Grrrls, Ruth Gifford, Atara Stein, Alara Rogers,
> Mercutio, Robin Lawrie, Jeanita Danzik, T'Mar, various other older HL
> writers, and I know some of the XF is by authors I know, but they're
> mostly unlabeled by author.
>
> I know some of the authors have been alerted already, but if you know
> any of them, you might want to let them know.
>
> [info]wickedwords? Under the Influence is offered here. Gah.
>
> And [info]astolat? I just found a ST:TNG series of yours up, under
> your real name.
> ---
>
> Just an FYI. It doesn't sound very good to me.
>
> terri
>
This violates one of the ways that the owners of the copywrite are able to
look the other way since most fan fic authors do not make money and these
people are.
Back to lurking
Lorna
piglet@stjohncable.com
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Date: Mon, 14 Feb 2005 16:58:10 -0500
From: Gregory Mate <gmate@rogers.com>
Subject: Re: FYI possible story pirating and potentially very bad news
Lorna Marie <piglet@stjohncable.com> wrote:
I just got the following on another list I am on and after a quick sweep
throuh the digests I did not see any mention of it here so pasting the
message. If you do not write Adult stories do not be concerned as this site
is primarily devoted o adult content.
<snip>
> The site, The A1 File Library, is selling fanfiction stories in
> various fandoms by authors that I'm 99% sure did not give permission
<snip>
This violates one of the ways that the owners of the copywrite are able to
look the other way since most fan fic authors do not make money and these
people are.
Unfortunate, but inevitable, I suppose. While there may be a tacit agreement amongst fanfiction writers to distribute their work on the basis of pure enjoyment rather than monetary profit, the agreement does not extend to everyone who reads the work. Compounding this problem is the lack of a copyright on the part of the fanfiction writer, coupled with the possibility of being named as an accessory in a civil lawsuit on behalf of the one who holds the copyright. The fanfiction writer may not have profited, but someone used the writer's work to gain profit when the fanfiction was in violation of the original copyright. If that makes sense...
And just because the adult stories were targeted at this point, don't think the more "gentle" stories will escape this sort of treatment at a later point in time.
One likely outcome would be the copyright holders being forced to take a more aggressive stance to defend their copyright from fanfiction writers. It would definitely be a lose-lose scenario for all involved. Copyright holders will have to pass on the legal costs to the end consumer, and good fanfiction will become non-existent.
....Greg....
gmate@rogers.com
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End of HIGHLA-L Digest - 13 Feb 2005 to 14 Feb 2005 (#2005-17)
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