RE: copyright and privacy

[Edward Barrow <edward@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Monday, August 12, 2002 4:11 PM, espositoj@xxxxxxx 
[SMTP:espositoj@xxxxxxx] wrote:
>
> >Is there any reason why any publisher's copyright
> policy should not be
> public?
>
> Concerning Mr. Harnad's question above, one answer is,
> sure, privacy.  A copyright policy may be a private
> matter, which may be disclosed in confidence to
> prospective writers and authors and to potential
> sublicensees.
>
I am not sure where privacy issue arises - or do you mean commercial 
confidentiality?

At some stage the copyright policy must be public: if the publisher seeks 
to enforce an acquired copyright in court, the instrument of assignment 
will be part of the public evidence - and it is clearly the case that the 
downstream policy, as to what the publisher permits to be done with the 
published material, must of its nature be public.

I would be very concerned indeed if publishers, as well as requiring their 
authors to assign the copyright to them in full, also imposed a gagging   
order on them.

Edward Barrow
New Media Copyright Consultant
http://www.copyweb.co.uk/
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