What will enter the public domain in 2026?

Post by GaryBluto » Tue, Dec 02, 2025, 10:18 AM UTC

mcny wrote: post #111

Aromasin wrote: post #101

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think would diminish independent author rights. Quite often, a novel will become popular only decades after publishing, and I think the author should be able to profit on the fruits of their labour without wealthy corporations tarnishing their original IP, or creating TV shows and the link with no reperations to the creator. Fantasy book are a good example. A Games of Thrones was first released in 1996 but had midd…

14 years is already too long. Also, IP is not real. It is a term we should avoid. Copyright and trademark have nothing to do with each other.

Post by [deleted] » Tue, Dec 02, 2025, 10:21 AM UTC

bentley wrote: post #73

culi wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah they've done a lobbying campaign about a dozen times when Mickey was set to enter public domain. I think GP was saying they're surprised they didn't do a 13th time. Like why give up now?

The last (general) copyright extension in the US was the CTEA in 1998. What’s happened since then? Google, who has power, money, and incentive to lobby against future copyright extensions.

Post by StopDisinfo910 » Tue, Dec 02, 2025, 10:22 AM UTC

actionfromafar wrote: post #107

raldi wrote: post #105

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If a novel you wrote 15 years ago becomes hugely successful you can capitalize with a sequel. Maybe GRRM would have written them a little faster in that universe.

Or you can't because 57 new sequels were published the week before.

Post by philipallstar » Tue, Dec 02, 2025, 10:23 AM UTC

Aromasin wrote: post #101

mchusma wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I love the original 14+14. I’ve heard proposals for exponentially growing fees to allow truly big enterprises to stay copywritten longer, like 14+14 with filing and $100, another 14 for $100,000, another 14 for $10M, another 14 for $100M. That would allow 70 years or protection for a few key pieces of IP that are worth it, which seems like an okay trade off? So many ideas better than the current regime.

I think would diminish independent author rights. Quite often, a novel will become popular only decades after publishing, and I think the author should be able to profit on the fruits of their labour without wealthy corporations tarnishing their original IP, or creating TV shows and the link with no reperations to the creator. Fantasy book are a good example. A Games of Thrones was first released in 1996 but had midd…

Post by ttctciyf » Tue, Dec 02, 2025, 10:40 AM UTC

ketzu wrote: post #89

bcrosby95 wrote: post #58

The length of copyright is absurd. Corporations have hijacked a concept that should exist on human timescales. Ideally, a child could legally provide their own spin on IP they consumed by the time they reach adulthood. But also, people need to make a living. I actually think the original 14+14 year copyright is the right balance. It gives people time to make their profits, but also guarantees the right of people to t…

> Ideally, a child could legally provide their own spin on IP they consumed by the time they reach adulthood. Why though? Do we really need that many more commercial attempts at Star Wars and Harry Potter? (I do think copyright times are too long, but I do wonder what a "good timescale" would be, and what the benefits and arguments would be.)