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Do You Have A License For Those Facts?

Posted by timothy on from the balancing-rights-and-benefits dept.

spikedvodka writes "Wired is reporting that the "Database and Collections of Information Misappropriation Act (HR3261)" is under consideration. It passed the house Judiciary Committee, and is on it's way to the Commerce Committee. This bill would allow companies to copyright databases. (Think phone-number databases) and goes directly against the idea that nobody can own a fact." (See this earlier posting.)

15 of 525 comments (clear)

  1. Easiest way out... by ajiva · · Score: 5, Funny

    So all I have to do is "Download the Internet" as Comcast's ads claim, then I can OWN the internet! Woohoo, where's my multi-terebyte disk array!

    1. Re:Easiest way out... by Newspimp · · Score: 4, Funny

      Probably next to the multi terabyte array. :)

    2. Re:Easiest way out... by Phillup · · Score: 4, Funny

      I would think that Google beat you to it.

      Does this mean that they now own the internet?

      Hm... have they had their IPO yet?

      --

      --Phillip

      Can you say BIRTH TAX
    3. Re:Easiest way out... by kommakazi · · Score: 3, Funny

      You fools! I've copyrighted the 1 and the 0. All your data is belong to I!

  2. Careful... by eurleif · · Score: 5, Funny

    Does /. have the legal right to talk about this bill? I mean, that fact might be copyrighted!

    1. Re:Careful... by frodo+from+middle+ea · · Score: 4, Funny

      The fact , that a fact can be copyrighted , is in fact quite frightening.

      --
      for the last time people, I am "frodo from middle eaRTH", not "middle eaST".
    2. Re:Careful... by Stregone · · Score: 5, Funny

      I wonder if that means we can sue someone who posts a repeat story on /.

  3. line starts here.... by millahtime · · Score: 4, Funny

    I can see it now. An office with 2 lines. The first to file you copyright and the second to file a lawsuit against someone for violating your new copyright.

    --
    Evolution or ID?
  4. Terrible idea by yukster · · Score: 4, Funny

    This is a terrible idea... and that's a fact.

    (Please see my lawyers if you'd like to license this fact...)

  5. My copyrighted list of facts by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny
    A
    B
    C
    D
    E
    F
    G
    H
    I
    J
    K
    L
    M
    N
    O
    P
    Q
    R
    S
    T
    U
    V
    W
    X
    Y
    Z


    Licenses to use any of the information on my copyrighted list are available now at very reasonable rates. Discounts are available for bulk users. Yeah, I'm talking to you, Neal Stephenson!

  6. Unintended Consequences by sssmashy · · Score: 5, Funny

    "The law of unintended consequences in this case has the potential to be huge," Brodsky said.

    Actually, I think the law of unintended consequences has been licensed and copyrighted to the Elect Ralph Nader Committee for quite some time now.

  7. Re:Facts as advertising by pajeromanco · · Score: 3, Funny

    > "The sky is Blue."(C)
    >
    > (C) International Business Machines, Inc. 2004

    "The Screen is Blue." (C)

    (C) Microsoft Corporation

    --
    Now I am sad.
  8. Re:Ahem. Almanacs. by Smallpond · · Score: 3, Funny

    You mean "nucular" isn't a real word?

    Tarnation.

  9. Re:More info.. by Mateito · · Score: 4, Funny

    kind of the /. for librarians...

    Oh God... I can see it now...

    All your books are belong to us!!

    In Soviet Russia, shelves book you!!

    Imagine a Boewulf of those!!

    --
    Norman Cook's Ode to Sl
  10. Re:Hmms... by Fiz+Ocelot · · Score: 5, Funny
    I want the truth!

    You can't handle the licencing fees for the truth!