Now that copyrights can be just about a century long, the inability to know what is protected and what is not protected becomes a huge and obvious burden on the creative process.

Quote by Lawrence Lessig

Topics: Lawrence Lessig Quotes

Copyrights have not expired, and will not expire, so long as Congress is free to...

Copyrights have not expired, and will not expire, so long as Congress is free to...

When government disappears, it's not as if paradise will take its place. When governments are...

When government disappears, it's not as if paradise will take its place. When governments are...

Monopoly controls have been the exception in free societies; they have been the rule in...

Monopoly controls have been the exception in free societies; they have been the rule in...

Before the monopoly should be permitted, there must be reason to believe it will do...

Before the monopoly should be permitted, there must be reason to believe it will do...

If the only way a library can offer an Internet exhibit about the New Deal...

If the only way a library can offer an Internet exhibit about the New Deal...

A free culture is not a culture without property; it is not a culture in...

A free culture is not a culture without property; it is not a culture in...

A time is marked not so much by ideas that are argued about as by...

A time is marked not so much by ideas that are argued about as by...

As we've seen, our constitutional system requires limits on copyright as a way to assure...

As we've seen, our constitutional system requires limits on copyright as a way to assure...

Notwithstanding the fact that the most innovative and progressive space we've seen - the Internet...

Notwithstanding the fact that the most innovative and progressive space we've seen - the Internet...

The danger in media concentration comes not from the concentration, but instead from the feudalism...

The danger in media concentration comes not from the concentration, but instead from the feudalism...

Power runs with ideas that only the crazy would draw into doubt.

Power runs with ideas that only the crazy would draw into doubt.

By the time Apple's Macintosh operating system finally falls into the public domain, there will...

By the time Apple's Macintosh operating system finally falls into the public domain, there will...

So uncritically do we accept the idea of property in culture that we don't even...

So uncritically do we accept the idea of property in culture that we don't even...

Americans have been selling this view around the world: that progress comes from perfect protection...

Americans have been selling this view around the world: that progress comes from perfect protection...

The real harm of term extension comes not from these famous works. The real harm...

The real harm of term extension comes not from these famous works. The real harm...

We have a massive system to regulate creativity. A massive system of lawyers regulating creativity...

We have a massive system to regulate creativity. A massive system of lawyers regulating creativity...

This does not mean that every copyright must prove its value initially. That would be...

This does not mean that every copyright must prove its value initially. That would be...

Of all the creative work produced by humans anywhere, a tiny fraction has continuing commercial...

$Of all the creative work produced by humans anywhere, a tiny fraction has continuing commercial...$

While the creative works from the 16th century can still be accessed and used by...

While the creative works from the 16th century can still be accessed and used by...

A free culture has been our past, but it will only be our future if...

A free culture has been our past, but it will only be our future if...