Re: Bill HR 3261: Database and Collections of Information Misappropriation Act

From: "Andre Engels" <[email protected]>
> On Tue, 2 Dec 2003, Alex R. wrote:
>
> > Any comments on this bill and its possible effect on Wikipedia?
> >
> >
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=108_cong_bills&docid=f:h3261ih.txt.pdf
>
> I read this, and don't see any substantial effect on Wikipedia. One might
> consider the usage of the US census data and the CIA world factbook to be
> an infringement of this law, but these databases are explicitly excluded
in
> section 5(a)(1).
>
> Even if the courts could find some other part of Wikipedia infringing on
> these matters, I don't think there would be any monetary damages, so there
> would be no problem with just taking them down when someone claims
> infringements.

Do you think it would have a chilling effect on those who use Wikipedia?
Since it appears to create an ownership right in information, that would
mean
that any fact is found in a database (i.e. an online repository of
information
such as the Encyclopedia Britanica) could not be copied and entered into
a Wikipedia article. Thus Wikipedia contributors might only be able to write
articles if they do off line research and copy that information ONLY from
off line sources (rather than doing some online research and rewriting the
information into new copyright original text).

The American Library Association is against this bill:
http://capwiz.com/ala/mail/oneclick_compose/?alertid=3895511

Would mean that someone who relicenses Wikipedia texts under the GFDL
could claim tha those texts are protected under this bill? Might that
prevent
the free flow of information and be against the principles of "open
content"?

Alex from Brooklyn