A bunch of media just entered the public domain. Here’s why that matters.

The black-and-white film flickers as a wealthy young woman, sitting on a bench in a garden, bats her eyes at the gardener’s son she is not allowed to marry. In her self-portrait, an artist wears masculine clothes against a bleak urban backdrop, dark eyes meeting the viewer’s gaze from the shadow of a broad-brimmed riding….

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Our favorite weird and the wonderful images from the grand re-opening of the public domain

It’s been just over three weeks since the public domain started growing again in the United States, and works from 1923 became available for anyone to freely share, remix, and enjoy.[1] Since January, hundreds of files from 1923 have been uploaded onto Wikimedia Commons, including books, images, movies, and music. It would be impossible to showcase….

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Here’s why we’re celebrating the public domain in 2019

As 2018 turned to 2019, people around the world celebrated the start of a brand new year with parties, family, and friends. The transition into 2019 also marked a new era for access to knowledge and culture in the United States, as new works finally entered the public domain through copyright expiration for the first….

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A woman sings into a microphone, mouth open

Wikimedia to Senate: Don’t weaken the public domain

In an attempt to harmonize copyrights for the use of sound recordings created before 1972, the U.S. Senate is currently poised to pass a bill which could endanger the preservation and sharing of historical sound recordings online. The Music Modernization Act (MMA), which was passed in the House of Representatives in April and recently received….

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The public domain starts growing again next year, and it’s about time

The Electronic Frontier Foundation is taking part in Copyright Week, a series of actions and discussions supporting key principles that should guide copyright policy. Every day this week, various groups are taking on different elements of copyright law and policy, and addressing what's at stake, and what we need to do to make sure that copyright promotes creativity and innovation.

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Why does Venezuelan photographer Wilfredo Rodríguez donate his work to the world?

"I think the message is more important than the author," says Venezuelan photographer Wilfredo Rodríguez, who uses his photographs to show both the beauty and challenges of living in his country.

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A Wikimedian asks European Parliament members for copyright reform

European copyright laws are very complex, making it hard to share free knowledge. To address this issue, a longtime Wikimedia contributor traveled to Brussels to meet members of the European Parliament and explain why copyright reform is needed.

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Wikipedia Shows the Value of a Vibrant Public Domain

This post is part of Copyright Week held by the Electronic Frontier Foundation and other organizations in January 2014. While more commonly known as New Year’s Day, January 1 is also international Public Domain Day. It celebrates the day when creative works (such as books, images and songs) enter the public domain, which is the collective wealth of….

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