The University of Ottawa's Canadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinic (CIPPIC) is launching a “Creative Commons” for artists working on the Internet – a move deemed by many as a necessary step to “revive reasonableness,” in cyberspace copyright.
The University of Ottawa's Faculty of Law is a pioneer in Internet law and the CIPPIC has made significant inroads tackling the difficult and complex issues involving technology law, spam, privacy, e-commerce and copyright.
The Creative Commons project, led by Prof. Marcus Bornfreund, is part of an international effort to promote open-source (freely available) licences. Bornfreund is responsible for translating the popular Creative Commons for use under Canadian law.
“The goal of these freely available licenses is to allow creators to protect their work and at the same time encourage pre-defined uses by others,” explains Bornfreund. For example, scholars might want their writings to be copied and shared so that their ideas spread around the world. A musician might want to post samples of his work to whet the public's appetite for his other pay-for-play songs. Activists may want their message to reach the widest possible audience through unlimited copying.
Created by Stanford law professor Lawrence Lessig, Creative Commons licenses have already been issued for millions of pieces of work. “We are working with strategic partners from industry and government to educate the public on the importance of open-source to innovation and cultural development,” Lessig said.
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