Copyright, Content & Behavior: The Vagina Monologues
As reported here, http://sexsecond.blogspot.com/2008/01/is-hbo-stopping-vagina-monlogues-in-sl.html, HBO has stated that the in-world production of the Vagina Monologues be halted due to HBO holding the broadcast rights to the production. Vday.org, the holder of the live performance rights, told the organizers of the SL Vagina Monologues that they had to rescind their authorization of a live performance due to the nature of HBO's broadcast rights.
Copyright treats various types of performances differently. Going to a real life club and seeing a cover band would entails the band or the bar paying for a performance right. If that band wants to create an album with those songs, they have to pay a statutory license to the song writer. If they want to sample a song in a song, they would have to pay the song writer and the performer a license. But if they make a video of the song, then they have to pay a film synchronization license, which is more expensive. (The story of the movie Clerks is that it cost $5000 to produce, until they started looking for music to play in the film.)
If SL is considered an audio-visual work under the copyright statute, then all of the club owners are violating the license held by the internet radio stations. While there is no other movement on a licensing front, SL could be the next Napster or Grokster.
In the meantime, look for more information on In The Pink at http://sexsecond.blogspot.com/2008/01/our-day-in-sl.html .
So in short, a blast of feminist hatred just got blocked by a giant penis.
Hilarious.
Posted by: Alyx Stoklitsky | January 27, 2008 at 02:07 PM
Many vendors/creators of visual and audio content in Second Life are all violators of Copyright. Why? Simple. They are stealing/borrowing/copying/however you wish to make it sound, other peoples ideals, and or creations. That goes for anyone who makes a Homer Simpson avatar, to a South Park Gesture they sell for $40L. And the worse part of it is, they are making money off of it.
Believe me, I hate to even admit that. But I am not blind either. I don't care for the AAs anymore than the next guy. But it is true. Piracy is rampant in SL.. and the irony of it all, is when these creators cry about Copybot/GLI.
Can't wait for the empire to burn LOL.
Posted by: Greefin Oh | January 27, 2008 at 11:49 PM
Oh, I'm surprised they didn't already start on the DJ's in Second Life. Of course, over the last couple years, every single CD I have bought - well, I heard the music in SL first...
Posted by: Overcast | January 28, 2008 at 02:39 PM
"every single CD I have bought - well, I heard the music in SL first..."
goes for all music on the internet. Think the hounds for the peoples monies overlook that fact.
Posted by: piracy has its good side | February 05, 2008 at 03:37 PM