Creative Commons is making it easier for prosumers to share and creatively consume peers’ work.
‘Embracing the remix’ is the title of a talk given by Kirby Ferguson as part of the Ted talks series; Ferguson explores the concept that all creativity is based on the fundamental combination of ‘copy, transform and combine’, creating a ‘remix’ – “new media created from old media”.
“We are dependent on one another,” says Ferguson in the video. As Dr Teodor Mitew referred to in his lecture of March 18th, 2013 at University of Wollongong, ‘Watch, but don’t touch! Copyright, ownership structures, and industry control’,
prosumerists have been born of the internet age, and are currently challenging the traditional business structures with their determination to access and use information – the interdependence to which Ferguson refers relies on this challenge.
As Dr Mitew explained, copyright has been extended with specific provisions for digital mediums, which come under the term Digital Rights Management (DRM). Specific contracts mean many prosumers are limited to being only consumers, as they are unable to interact with their specified media except for the way in which it was intended. As can be ascertained from Ferguson’s argument, limiting consumers in the way in which they interact with the medium can limit the progression of the media on a broader scale (that is to say, limit creativity).
This consolidation of control means companies, through attempts to protect their ideas and products, may actually be negatively limiting their use.
Thus comes the examination of fair use. As Steve Collins writes in ‘Recovering Fair Use’, (M/C Journal, 2008), ‘Fair use is the safety valve on copyright law to prevent oppressive monopolies’. Using the defense of ‘fair use’ can enable the prosumer to, in some ways, interact with material in a way in which is not intended, and avoid penalties of copyright law. However, this is not so in very copyright case, and the prosumer is still very much limited, limiting creativity.
I understand the need for the protection of intellectual and physical property; however, it is also my opinion that traditional company copyright models need to negotiate with modern consumers to help foster a positive relationship in which creativity can flourish, and not be bound by strict licensing agreements.
This stance is being somewhat supported by Creative Commons and their ‘copyleft’ movement, encouraging open sharing of information. This is, in my opinion, a positive move. As long as prosumers are not abusing their access to the material in terms of ethical usage (that is, for example, a composer whose music supports the anti-war movement would not want their work to be used adversely in a project which supports less restrictive gun laws), I see it as fair that work may be shared to enhance both works.
P.s. Thankyou Jacket2 for the image.
P.p.s. Thankyou TED talks for the video.
