For years, we at the OTW have been fighting for copyright laws that make room for fans to express themselves through fanworks. We haven’t been alone in this fight: over the years, we’ve partnered with groups like the Electronic Frontier Foundation, Public Knowledge, the Center for Democracy and Technology, the American Library Association, and others to argue that the law should encourage a wide range of creation and expression, including the fair use of material created by others.
Now, we’re officially coming together with a network of organizations that believe, like we do, that U.S. copyright law should reflect the diversity of the creators, innovators, and consumers who make, use, remake, and reuse creative expression; that U.S. copyright law should not stand in the way of free expression worldwide; and that fair use is a vital component of a balanced copyright law. In March, we joined members of this group in sending a letter to the U.S. Congress encouraging balanced copyright policies — and we’re very happy to continue that work with a great group of partners.
“Fanworks serve a unique and important role in our society and must be protected. Fair use is a critical right that permits the public to use portions of copyrighted material without permission, under certain circumstances, from the copyright owner. Whether it be an adapted story with our favorite characters or an app for our phones, fair use makes creativity and innovation possible. Re:Create is excited to welcome OTW to the coalition and we look forward to all that we will accomplish together,” said Tina Pelkey, a spokesperson for Re:Create.
Find out more about the Re:Create coalition and its work at its site, and watch this space for news of coalition activities and opportunities.