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slayda · 07-12-2008, 02:23 PM

I would like to propose a question of moral (not necessarily legal) ownership of intellectual property through an example.

Suppose:

I design and build a totally unique house.
Photographer Joe takes a picture (without my permission) of my house and sells it to Time magazine.
Time publishes an article on houses and includes this picture.
I buy a copy of Time magazine and copy the picture to use in my Builders News Letter which is distributed for free to other designers and builders.
I send out the News Letter to my subscribers.

Who "morally" owns what intellectual property? Me, Joe, Times magazine?

Although US copyright laws would say that Joe owned the copyright of the picture and could legally sell it to Times magazine, it all started with my creative design and therefore "my" IP (IMHO). However under the current laws, I could be prosecuted for violation of copyright. TANJ!

07-12-2008, 02:23 PM	#92
slayda Retired & reading more! Posts: 2,764 Karma: 1884247 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: North Alabama, USA Device: Kindle 1, iPad Air 2, iPhone 6S+, Kobo Aura One	Question of moral ownership of IP I would like to propose a question of moral (not necessarily legal) ownership of intellectual property through an example. Suppose: I design and build a totally unique house. Photographer Joe takes a picture (without my permission) of my house and sells it to Time magazine. Time publishes an article on houses and includes this picture. I buy a copy of Time magazine and copy the picture to use in my Builders News Letter which is distributed for free to other designers and builders. I send out the News Letter to my subscribers. Who "morally" owns what intellectual property? Me, Joe, Times magazine? Although US copyright laws would say that Joe owned the copyright of the picture and could legally sell it to Times magazine, it all started with my creative design and therefore "my" IP (IMHO). However under the current laws, I could be prosecuted for violation of copyright. TANJ!