The Mickey Mouse Protection Act, also known as the Copyright Term Extension Act, is a United States copyright law that extended the term of copyright protection. This act was passed in 1998 and is particularly significant in the context of copyright in a changing world.
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The Mickey Mouse Protection Act extended the term of copyright protection in the United States from 50 years after the author's death to 70 years after the author's death.
This act was heavily influenced by Disney's desire to prevent the iconic character Mickey Mouse from entering the public domain.
The act was criticized by many as being overly protective of corporate interests at the expense of the public domain and access to cultural works.
The extension of copyright terms has been argued to stifle creativity and innovation by limiting the availability of source material for new works.
The Mickey Mouse Protection Act has been seen as a significant shift in the balance between private intellectual property rights and the public's interest in accessing cultural works.
Review Questions
Explain how the Mickey Mouse Protection Act relates to the concept of the public domain.
The Mickey Mouse Protection Act extended the duration of copyright protection, which directly impacts the public domain. By keeping works under copyright for longer, the act delayed the entry of these works into the public domain, where they could be freely used and built upon by the public. This shift in the balance between private intellectual property rights and public access to cultural works has been a point of contention, as it has been argued to stifle creativity and innovation by limiting the availability of source material for new works.
Describe the influence of corporate interests, such as Disney, on the passage of the Mickey Mouse Protection Act.
The Mickey Mouse Protection Act was heavily influenced by Disney's desire to prevent the iconic character Mickey Mouse from entering the public domain. Disney, as a major corporate entity, lobbied extensively for the extension of copyright terms to maintain their exclusive rights over valuable intellectual properties. This act has been criticized as being overly protective of corporate interests at the expense of the public's interest in accessing cultural works. The influence of powerful corporate stakeholders on copyright legislation is a significant aspect of the changing landscape of copyright in the modern era.
Evaluate the impact of the Mickey Mouse Protection Act on the balance between private intellectual property rights and the public's interest in accessing cultural works.
The Mickey Mouse Protection Act has been seen as a significant shift in the balance between private intellectual property rights and the public's interest in accessing cultural works. By extending the duration of copyright protection, the act has been argued to stifle creativity and innovation by limiting the availability of source material for new works. This shift towards greater protection of corporate interests has raised concerns about the public's ability to freely engage with and build upon cultural works. Evaluating the long-term consequences of this legislation requires considering the complex interplay between the rights of creators, the needs of the public, and the evolving nature of copyright in a rapidly changing world.
Related terms
Copyright Term Extension Act: The formal name for the Mickey Mouse Protection Act, which extended the duration of copyright protection in the United States.
The state of a creative work whose exclusive intellectual property rights have expired, allowing the work to be used or modified by anyone, without permission or fee.
Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act: Another name for the Mickey Mouse Protection Act, named after the congressman who co-sponsored the legislation.