Week 1/Blog 1 - Response to Julie Hutchinson's Blog

The issues of copyright usage will continue to morph and change. It's not a stagnate document or law. It is a ruling that is "alive" and in flux. It's our responsibility as media designers to continue to remain updated on the implications of media. I agree as an instructor in an educational setting that we have somewhat more protection using copyrighted material than if we have a small business, like a graphic or web design business where we may use material for "profit" vs. for "educational purposes". Regardless, the information received in this first week is of utmost importance. One thing that I have found is that referencing material is much easier now as a good portion of it is embedded in the copyrighted material. Here's the LINK. 




Julia's Blog post:

As a graphic designer & instructor, there is probably no other word (aside from Comic Sans) that evokes fear, uncertainty, and debate like ‘copyright’. The discussion is never over the clear ‘black and white’ issues. For example, clearly you cannot use the Walt Disney signature typeface for a brand name, regardless of whether it’s for personal or commercial use. It’s always over the gray areas. So for this course to start off by delving right into the realm of Copyright and Fair Use is rather commendable, and speaks to the importance of the topic.
I think back to the Month 1 Media Literacy & Research course when we had to create a lesson in Second Life. Our team decided to create a lesson centered on the 1776 signing of the Declaration of Independence. We wanted to incorporate the famous 1795 John Trumball painting, and audio of Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson as depicted in a film about the historic event. It was then that I really learned about the Fair Use Act and how it ‘liberated’ educators from the censorship tyranny that can be inflicted by copyright. Our situation was a prime example of the need to use copyrighted material for the purpose of teaching, AND, without the material, the lesson could not be as effective. Where needed, we obtained the proper usage rights for much of our media. In most cases, all that was required was a citation of the source in the credits.All in all, I look forward to continue learning about the nuances of Copyright and Fair Use, and how it applies to educators and the classroom.