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US Copyright Office found AI companies breach copyright. Its boss was fired

(www.theregister.com)
451 points croes | 3 comments | 12 May 25 09:49 UTC | HN request time: 0s | source
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brador ◴[12 May 25 13:02 UTC] No.43962450[source]▶
Lifetime for human copyright, 20 years for corporate copyright. That’s the golden zone.
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Zambyte ◴[12 May 25 13:23 UTC] No.43962626[source]▶
Zero (0) years for corporate copyright, zero (0) years for human copyright is the golden zone in my book.
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umanwizard ◴[12 May 25 13:31 UTC] No.43962681[source]▶
Why?
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whamlastxmas ◴[12 May 25 13:55 UTC] No.43962937[source]▶
Because the concept of owning an idea is really gross. Copyright means I can’t write about whatever I want in my own home even if I never distribute it or no one ever sees it. I’m breaking the law by privately writing Harry Potter fanfic in my journal or whatever. Copyright is supposed to be about encouraging intangibles, and the reality is that it only massively stifles it
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flats ◴[12 May 25 14:24 UTC] No.43963326[source]▶
I don’t believe this is true? I’m pretty sure that you’re prohibited from making money from that fan fiction, not from writing it at all. So I don’t understand the claim that copyright “massively stifles” creativity. There are of course examples of people not being able to make money on specific “ideas” because of copyright laws, but that doesn’t seem to me to be “massively stifling” creativity itself, especially given that it also protects and supports many people generating these ideas. And if we got rid of copyright law, wouldn’t we be in that exact place, where people wouldn’t be allowed to make money off of creative endeavors?

I mean, owning an idea is kinda gross, I agree. I also personally think that owning land is kinda gross. But we live in a capitalist society right now. If we allow AI companies to train LLMs on copyrighted works without paying for that access, we are choosing to reward these companies instead of the humans who created the data upon which these companies are utterly reliant for said LLMs. Sam Altman, Elon Musk, and all the other tech CEOs will benefit in place of all of the artists I love and admire.

That, to me, sucks.

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1. 93po ◴[12 May 25 16:24 UTC] No.43964780[source]▶
Copyright isn't about distribution, it's about creation. In reality the chances of getting in trouble is basically zero if you don't distribute it - who would know? But technically any creation, even in private, is violating copyright. Doesn't matter if you make money or put it on the internet.

There is fair use, but fair is an affirmative defense to infringing copyright. By claiming fair use you are simultaneously admitting infringement. The idea that you have to defend your own private expression of ideas based on other ideas is still wrong in my view.

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2. Zambyte ◴[12 May 25 16:55 UTC] No.43965095[source]▶
> Copyright isn't about distribution, it's about creation

This is exactly wrong. You can copy all of Harry Potter into your journal as many times as you want legally (creating copies) so long as you do not distribute it.

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3. whamlastxmas ◴[12 May 25 18:58 UTC] No.43966393[source]▶
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copyright_law_of_the_United_St...

"copyright law assigns a set of exclusive rights to authors: to make and sell copies of their works, to create derivative works, and to perform or display their works publicly"

"The owner of a copyright has the exclusive right to do and authorize others to do the following: To reproduce the work in copies or phonorecords;To prepare derivative works based upon the work;"

"Commonly, this involves someone creating or distributing"

https://www.copyright.gov/what-is-copyright/

"U.S. copyright law provides copyright owners with the following exclusive rights: Reproduce the work in copies or phonorecords. Prepare derivative works based upon the work."

https://internationaloffice.berkeley.edu/students/intellectu...

"Copyright infringement occurs when a work is reproduced, distributed, displayed, performed or altered without the creator’s permission."

There are endless legitimate sources for this. Copyright protects many things, not just distribution. It very clearly disallows the creation and production of copyrighted works.