Internal:Public Policy/Copyright policy issues

This is an internal working space for Wikimedia-DC members developing and understanding and possible recommendations about copyright policy.

• In 2011 the Wikimedia Foundation and many allied groups stood against bills proposed in the U.S. Congress that would impose burdens on wiki sites (among others) if users created certain copyright-related content there. SOPA and PIPA were bills motivated partly by the TV, film, and TV industries to incorporate copyright protection into the infrastructure of the Internet. This chapter stood with the movement on this. Here was Wiki DC's statement on SOPA and PIPA. Amazingly the effort was beaten back -- our side won.
• URAA in 2014
• Gerald wrote to the WMF general counsel's office.
• The public policy committee is asked to formulate the chapter's stand on copyright issues for "orphan works" for an upcoming workshop. Document due March 8, 2014.