Disney’s relationship to copyright is wildly contradictory. It’s the poster child for the public domain’s power as a source of inspiration for worthy (and profitable) new works. It’s also the chief villain in the impoverishment and near-extinction of the public domain. Truly, every pirate wants to be an admiral.
Disney’s reliance on – and sabotage of – the public domain is ironic. [Jennifer] Jenkins compares it to “an oil company relying on solar power to run its rigs.” Come January 1, Disney will have to share.
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