Egypt to Copyright Pyramids and Sphynx

empaler writes "We all know the usual pro-copyright arguments. Most of them hinge on the fact that the individual or company that has a copyright needs an incentive to make something that is copyrightable, and therefore ensure a revenue stream in a period after the copyright has been granted. In a never-surpassed move, Egypt is working on legislation to extend copyright well above 3000 years — they are going to start claiming royalties for using likenesses of the Sphynx and the Pyramids. It is still unclear whether the original intent of the Pyramids included 'making sure them bastards pay for a plastic copy in 3000 years' alongside 'securing a pathway to the heavens for the God King.' Speaking as a Greenlandic national, I want dibs on ice cubes." It sounds straight out of The Onion, but instead you can read another story on the BBC.

Comments

Who exactly are they screwing with this law?

[SamP2]

The international community as well as vast majority of industrialized countries do not recognize copyright longer than author's life + 100 years (in most cases it's 50 or 70). Yes, there is _some_ movement in the US to make copyright indefinite, but (at least for now) it is not close to becoming law.

Use in other countries will be governed by local laws, regardless of whether Egypt likes it or not. The only industry they are going to screw is their own domestic one. And it might, depending on how broadly the law is interpreted, seriously hamper private domestic industry that is heavily focused on promoting those tourist attractions.

Sound's like a 21th-century approach to implementing socialism. Why overthrow it when you can just tax it to death?

Re:Just like any other desperate move

[rsmoody]

Oh, make no mistake, the UN will care. They will tax the US just like they are trying to impose a tax on the open seas. It will be right on up there with outlawing incandescent light bulbs for the sake of global warming and the children.