Technology Manifesto
Technology Manifesto:
With advancements in technology, and the growing availability of works protected under copyright, the age of technology is bringing forth the opportunity to create a new ‘free appropriation’ based outline of digital works use. It is my current contention that based on the availability of works, and consequently the potential for those works to be creatively and academically beneficial, it is time to move forwards towards “a much broader variety of free, creative reuses of existing work whenever they are used in the creation of new work” (Negativeland 2008).
The Importance of Communicating and Publishing Online:
According to Negativeland’s “Tenants of Free Appropriation” “[t]he urge to make one thing out of other things is an entirely traditional, socially healthy, and artistically valid impulse” (Negativeland 2008). This is the foundation of the importance of communicating and publishing online. The current state of technology has enabled the ‘technological’ society to greatly expand their ability to create, and to publicize such creations. Concurrently technology has worked to establish a system of advancement and supervision when dealing with digital information. Publishing online has not only forced the creators of new material to be well founded and supported, but it has also created a voice for countless numbers of persons previously unheard persons.
The age of internet and digital technology has essentially led to supervised access to an infinite supply of resources, opinions, entertainment, and additional media, the supervision in this case referring to the various users of digital media and technology. This is a concept that we as a society (overall) have become very accustomed to, and furthermore have evolved to ensure a relatively sustained level of integrity. “Get Real! A Manifesto from a New Generation of Critics” goes as far as to say that the internet is “making life more convenient and enjoyable, and many of us healthier, wiser, and wealthier”(Technolrealism 2008). The use of copyright to prevent such cultural advancement in order “to force private tolls on the practice” (Negativeland 2008) is not only unrealistic but also irresponsible. We as a society should take immediate action to shift our focus from those fiscally driven, to the advancement of the integrity of digital information available to the public, while working against the prevention of cultural and artistic expression.
Ethical and Cultural Issues When Communicating/Publishing Online:
The two major issues that need be addressed concerning communicating and publishing online are informative integrity and author credibility and accreditation.
First there is the concern of informative credibility. As mentioned above the digital age has provided countless numbers of people with ability to access information online. The issue then is how credible can this information be? Thankfully there currently exists a relatively global system of checks and balances on the internet. The internet society has the ability in many cases to comment of works of opinion, and furthermore challenge (both directly and indirectly) potentially irresponsible digital works. In an effort to enforce the standard of credibility when presenting information online, users should have full rights to cite sources without concern of copyright infringement or fiscal reproduction. The use of any material should be permitted in such cases assuming that proper citations are used. Pieces that are meant to be informative or a presentation of fact should be afforded the same rights as students preparing academic works. Of course citations in such situations are critical so that credit and recognition may be appropriately placed. This however is only limited to certain works. Works created with the intention of artistic expression may not necessarily require such attention to credibility as they are not a representation of fact or opinion but rather and personal expression. It is not unreasonable for those involved in digital works of artistic expression would feel hindered by the implementation of such reinforcement policies.
With the advancements, it is essential that we prepare to adapt with regards to protecting content and material. As established by Technorealism “we must update old laws and interpretations so that information receives roughly the same protection in did in the context of old media” (Technorealism 2008). This is why it has become my contention that the focus of current copyright protection must surround crediting appropriate sources.
Policies:
- Works claiming a representation of opinion or fact should have full rights to free adaptation of works assuming proper academic and digital citations are utilized.
- Works protected by privacy acts including (but not limited to) HIPPA should be held to a higher level of reuse ethics, standards, and legality based on confidentiality and the protection of all those involved in the material.
- Reuse of material for the sole intentional of fiscal or monetary gain should be held accountable for preexisting protection rights held by the author.
- Works created under similar president to the aforementioned but without the intention of (or possibility) of monetary gain (ex. youtube) should not be held financially accountable for reuse, mixing, or sampling assuming proper academically approved (ex MLA, APA etc.) citation is given.
- Works intended to be used as critiques or challenges of preexisting works (regardless of fiscal motivation) should require no more than proper academic citation of original producers.
- Sharing of digital information should be held to the same standards as physical material. For example it is unlawful to possess or reproduce a music album that was illegally obtained, however if that album were purchased legally from a retailer it may be freely shared. Legally obtained should reference obtaining material at cost great enough to compensate production costs (per single item) follow a predetermined point of availability.
Works Cited
Negativeland. (2008). Negativworldwidewebland. Retrieved Februrary 17, 2010, from Changing Copyright : http://www.negativland.com/news/?page_id=22
Negativeland. (2008 ). Negativworldwidewebland. Retrieved February 17 , 2010 , from Negative Land’s Tenets of Free Appropriation : http://www.negativland.com/riaa/tenets.html
Stowell, S. (2008 ). Get Real! A Manefesto From a New Generation of Cultural Critics TECHNOREALISM. Nation , 19-20.
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