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advocate2 · 05-09-2010, 08:42 PM

My recollection is that copyright is a contract, of sorts, between the holder and the government whereby the government grants protection in exchange for the protected work eventually coming into the public domain.

Another poster started a discussion about a site that posts books that are still in copyright in the US, and perhaps in Canada. I recall that in the last decade the US extended the copyright period to life in being from 50 to 75 or 100 years. I know the time period is substantially less in Canada. I gather that Australia also has a shorter period that the US. Are there treaties between nations about this? If so, what is the shortest length any Nation can have and still be part of a treaty?

My primary question is this, If there is a nation whose laws are very short (say 5 or 10years after death of author) would it be permitted to discuss that here since it might be illegal in the US and Canada?

05-09-2010, 08:42 PM	#1
advocate2 My Kingdom for Karma Posts: 430 Karma: 7125 Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Las Vegas Device: Sony 350, 650, 950, Nook Color	Copyright length in various countries My recollection is that copyright is a contract, of sorts, between the holder and the government whereby the government grants protection in exchange for the protected work eventually coming into the public domain. Another poster started a discussion about a site that posts books that are still in copyright in the US, and perhaps in Canada. I recall that in the last decade the US extended the copyright period to life in being from 50 to 75 or 100 years. I know the time period is substantially less in Canada. I gather that Australia also has a shorter period that the US. Are there treaties between nations about this? If so, what is the shortest length any Nation can have and still be part of a treaty? My primary question is this, If there is a nation whose laws are very short (say 5 or 10years after death of author) would it be permitted to discuss that here since it might be illegal in the US and Canada? Last edited by advocate2; 05-09-2010 at 08:44 PM.