Fair Returns, a post-Copyright initiative

The next step beyond copyright and Fair Use. Introducing a way for creators to get fair returns ⓕ on their contributions to the public commons.

[Fair Returns, a post-Copyright initiative @FairReturns]

This is how the Death of Copyright looks in slow motion: predictable, foreseeable, transparent.

Welcome to a post-Copyright world!
https://t.co/ZcJxSv5QQO

[neil turkewitz @neilturkewitz]

“The draft executive order calls on @uspto & @CopyrightOffice to recommend…executive actions the White House can take to address issues related to both copyright protections for AI-generated work & the use of copyrighted work to train AI algorithms.”
https://t.co/9rWdZx87Bj

[Fair Returns, a post-Copyright initiative @FairReturns]

@USClaireForce Nothing, exactly! Copyright is about to end and people haven't realized yet. Meanwhile the scraping continues.

Thanks for suggesting it's Fair Use to use your own content @adobestock and @behance. 😂

[Fair Returns, a post-Copyright initiative @FairReturns]

@Shutterstock Since @Shutterstock is in the news, reminder that many AI startups are likely training on their data without having to license it as it's freely und openly available.

See message above for details. ⬆️
https://t.co/joNTyEWPB5

[Techmeme @Techmeme]

Shutterstock announces an expanded, six-year partnership with OpenAI that grants access to its video, image, and music libraries for AI training; SSTK jumps 9%+ (@ashleycapoot / CNBC)

https://t.co/NvM8R3fF1F
https://t.co/LUgTqmbUKT

[Fair Returns, a post-Copyright initiative @FairReturns]

It's great that stock photo providers such as @Shutterstock approve of Fair Use training of generative AI for "research", by leaving over 100M images watermark-free publicly available.

Download the dataset below, it's over 1.7T in total:
https://t.co/IMYnzdDGSA

[Fair Returns, a post-Copyright initiative @FairReturns]

Love the confidence of @BandJonathan waltzing in to the debate, making definitive statements without even needing a legal argument to back it up! 🔥

This is how copyright ends: public domain advocates on the bigtech payroll just saying it's over...

[neil turkewitz @neilturkewitz]

hey artists & writers, look what the cat dragged in. certain library associations have weighed in on AI, aligning themselves with our would-be tech overlords. 😡
@AuthorsGuild @kortizart

https://t.co/3vc9CtFklr

[Fair Returns, a post-Copyright initiative @FairReturns]

If @Shutterstock cared about its contributors' compensation, it'd work to remove these dataset that it directly or indirectly allowed to be uploaded. But they don't care, so the dataset remains online and Copyright dies another day. https://t.co/A2OjtigL3v

[Fair Returns, a post-Copyright initiative @FairReturns]

It's great that stock photo providers such as @Shutterstock approve of Fair Use training of generative AI for "research", by leaving over 100M images watermark-free publicly available.

Download the dataset below, it's over 1.7T in total:
https://t.co/IMYnzdDGSA

[Fair Returns, a post-Copyright initiative @FairReturns]

Using money to knowingly plaster over Copyright violations isn't how we expected this to end, but it'll be the end of Copyright nonetheless.

What @Shutterstock is missing is that it signals the end for stock providers too...

[Sharon Goldman @sharongoldman]

NEW: @Shutterstock is taking on @Adobe on the enterprise front with its own generative AI indemnification offer—and insists its stock creators can opt out of AI training & are already getting compensated. https://t.co/LJMuZ1IUbT

[Fair Returns, a post-Copyright initiative @FairReturns]

Well, @creativecommons is an organization that works to promote borderline legal alternatives to efficient infringement, so it makes sense for them to be in favor of AI. Ultimately it's leading to the predictable downfall of copyright itself.

[Fair Returns, a post-Copyright initiative @FairReturns]

@The_Row_House @creativecommons We're not supposed to say the quiet part out loud, but thank you @FTC for helping normalize the practice of generative ML! Whether it's legal or not currently... doesn't matter. We know it soon will be!

[Fair Returns, a post-Copyright initiative @FairReturns]

The public commons is the set of all data that's made publicly available. Since @creativecommons explains in its FAQ how ML training is Fair Use, which makes all this data available to AI companies at no cost.

See this webminar to help provide insights: https://t.co/QJlXBmLyE4

[Fair Returns, a post-Copyright initiative @FairReturns]

@BorgoniaBorgy @creativecommons @linakhanFTC The reason neither @FTC or @CopyrightOffice have addressed the training of ML systems and Fair Use is because they want it to continue. They have long been bought and paid for.

It'd be easy for them to say "Here are situations when it's not Fair Use" but they don't.

[Fair Returns, a post-Copyright initiative @FairReturns]

@BadMuthaHubbard @creativecommons What you're seeing is the normalization of ML training from an influential organization that used to be in favour of creators. It doesn't matter if it's legal or not it will lead to the downfall of Copyright.

[Fair Returns, a post-Copyright initiative @FairReturns]

@TrevyLimited @creativecommons Corporations were being enriched long before AI and before Copyright too. *Human Rights* are nice but it's not been sufficient to justify keeping then around when companies have their opposing agenda.

Best that we can do is join them — make some profits and redistribute them.

[Fair Returns, a post-Copyright initiative @FairReturns]

@TrevyLimited @creativecommons Is this a bot?! You're repeating the exact same thing. Experts worldwide agree that Fair Use covers ML, and all companies are doing it. How can it be a problem?

[Fair Returns, a post-Copyright initiative @FairReturns]

@HumanityAshes @TrevyLimited @creativecommons Copyright is nowhere to be found either!

[Fair Returns, a post-Copyright initiative @FairReturns]

@short_straw @creativecommons Unless you can prove that training was expressive, and that the products are derivatives, well-funded lawyers from industry will walk all over this argument.

We'll still be here when you admit defeat! 😇

[Fair Returns, a post-Copyright initiative @FairReturns]

@short_straw @creativecommons Your strategy is to call all legal experts, even those who have consulted for WIPO, biased shills? I appreciate what you're doing holding big tech accountable, but the writing is on the wall for copyright. https://t.co/3mUqfRJAOM

[Fair Returns, a post-Copyright initiative @FairReturns]

@TrevyLimited @creativecommons Organizations like @creativecommons have worked hard alongside efficient infringers to ensure the inevitable downfall of copyright in favor of the public commons. Fair use is a temporary measure, but completely acceptable:
https://t.co/WIcQfwOUq3

[Fair Returns, a post-Copyright initiative @FairReturns]

A post-copyright world means rethinking what Stock Photography means. Both @Alamy and @Shutterstock are leading the way by making their datasets publicly available via @TheEyeEU, a legitimate archival project. The community can now train diffusion models without infringing!

[Fair Returns, a post-Copyright initiative @FairReturns]

We believe that the public commons are becoming a free resource thanks to distortions of Fair Use. Linking to such a freely shared resource when stock companies have done nothing to take them down is perfectly fine.

We plan to deliver returns to creators via services.