IM1 Lecture Week 3

I’ll keep this post short and sweet really.
There was a lot covered this lecture, and I’m not going to lie to you dear internet, I did struggle to keep up.
However, yep, there is a however. I did manage to get a few things. Copyright.
How, especially in the world of interactive documentaries, do we encourage people to get involved with these projects, and use their ideas, without getting in a whole lot of trouble?
I can’t imagine that anyone is here who doesn’t have to be, but if you are on my blog, and not a student in my course (firstly, what are you here for????) but secondly, this is what Adrian has been showing us in the lectures.

Obviously, the Johnny Cash project.
“In 2012, people from all over the world were invited to participate in a global project for Johnny’s final video. Each participant submitted a drawing for a single frame, then the drawings were pieced together” (via FRIDAY NIGHT SESSIONS)
Before we even raised the whole copyright question, I do have to admit that this was one of my ????’s. Because how in the world were they able to use other peoples artwork, put it together then broadcast it to the world? I’m sure I could find it somewhere lurking on the internet, but at first glance there is no where that actually states the name or gives congrats to those who made the individual frames. But alas, of course each participant would have had to have signed a contract, that little writing in terms and conditions. I know, I know, pretty obvious. But please remember my brain is still in the mode of having it’s biggest decision revolving around the question of whether to lounge around outside all day, or go to the beach. It’s a tough life.
Anyway, when I actually started thinking, my train of thought ended up in social media. And really, it’s a question that’s asked time and time again. Who own’s our content on social media?
I mean, I took that photo. That photo I posted, that got 70 likes. I saw the object with my own eyes, picked up my iPhone which I paid for with my own money, and clicked capture with my own fingers. Therefore the photo is mine, right?
But should we be less concerned about who owns our content, and more concerned about what they’re going to do with it – because at the end of the day, we own our profiles to an extent, but what is the extent of the copyright we agreed to?
Okay, so what am I on about. Take twitter for example;

“By submitting, posting or displaying Content on or through the Services, you grant us a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free license (with the right to sublicense) to use, copy, reproduce, process, adapt, modify, publish, transmit, display and distribute such Content in any and all media or distribution methods (now known or later developed).”

Yo, everyone look out for my twitter pics on billboards, okay?
But hold up. Also in the same Terms and conditions you come across this:

“You retain your rights to any Content you submit, post or display on or through the Services … what’s yours is yours – you own your Content (and your photos are part of that Content).”

Confused? You’re not the only one. And let’s not forget about Facebook…

“You own all of the content and information you post on Facebook …”

Now, as someone who has had to delete a Facebook account (thanks to an unknown hacker, cheers Facebook), I know that just because you’ve deleted your account, doesn’t mean everything goes with it. Messages are still left behind, photo comments, and even shares that have made it onto friends of friends of friends pages.
Basically, I have no solution for this. I myself am still confused about who own what and what they can do with it, but after reading numerous articles, the general consensus is that you have to simply read the terms and conditions (yeah, right). But that’s just it, they know they’ve got you.
Unless of course, they’re tumblr. But let’s face it. The people who run tumblr are an awesome bunch of people. Just like the people who are on it.
But if all the T & C’s were like this, I’d probably read them. Here’s a snippet of some of the good stuff to come out of Tumblr’s latest….

 

photo coming from:  http://storify.com/allaboutgeorge/how-we-enjoyed-tumblr-s-new-terms-of-service

So basically this post got me no where. But I will endeavour to learn more about t&c’s and when I do, watch this space. Or a little up. I’ll probably write more between now and then…