Cynthetiq

Tirian, interesting, I don't recall that specifically but you bring up a great thing that I need to mention, copyright. There's a fellow that's going about trolling for copyright infringement. Admins of forums and blog owners are being Righthaven'd right out of existence. There's been a discussion about this posted by someone, with little thought to the actual ramifications at the time. Today, after consulting with a few lawyers and my knowledge of this group of individuals, in order to keep this stuff protected, it's a liability I'd have to shoulder and carry. Most sites that have been litigated against just closed shop.

In order to protect TFP from such things I'm going to have to pony up some extra dollars and file some paperwork with the US Copyright Office in Washington so that TFP qualifies as safe harbor and in 100% compliance for the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). I'll also have to spend some time and money with a lawyer to make sure that going forward we're covered for such things.

Tirian, after sitting typing this I remember some of what you're talking about. Unfortunately at that time I wasn't responsible for TFP and not even an admin if I was even on staff at the time. My knowledge and understanding of copyright at the time is vastly different than what I know and understand today since today I specifically work with contracts focused on rights, royalties, copyrights, and trademarks.

If anything hardly enforceable for those that do hold the rights to the original text. If I posted a quote from CNN does that mean it belongs to TFP? Of course not. What about something that is in the public domain like excerpts from Moby Dick? Does that now belong to TFP? Of course not.

What it does mean and it's sole intention and purpose is to disallow someone from harvesting this website, reposting or publishing it it and claiming it as theirs. If that's what is stopping you from participating, that's a shame because if you read the TOS of most online games, websites where you are allowed to comment, etc. it isn't much different. If that stifles your ability to voice an opinion or participate then, with the simple wave of a hand, it's changed. Does that make you participate now more?

Now that I've removed the "all text" does it now mean that Clavus posts his original images and art, does it mean that TFP owns that? Of course not. It would be an absurd claim to try to make from my perspective. Do you get where I'm going with this?

---------- Post added at 04:23 AM ---------- Previous post was at 04:10 AM ----------

Plan, thanks. It's appreciated.

__________________
I don't care if you are black, white, purple, green, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, hippie, cop, bum, admin, user, English, Irish, French, Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, indian, cowboy, tall, short, fat, skinny, emo, punk, mod, rocker, straight, gay, lesbian, jock, nerd, geek, Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Independent, driver, pedestrian, or bicyclist, either you're an asshole or you're not.