Show Your Support for the Right to Remix

--written by Rachael Vaughn, OTW Legal Committee

Kirby Ferguson, creator of Everything is a Remix, is standing up for the right to create remix videos. Although the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) exemptions granted in 2010 helped clear some legal hurdles for vidders and other remix artists, these exemptions will expire if not renewed. The OTW is currently working with the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) to urge the Copyright Office to maintain and reasonably expand the 2010 exemptions. Specifically, OTW and EFF have asked that the Copyright Office protect the right to extract clips from DVDs and other digital sources like Amazon Unbox for the purpose of making non-commercial videos that constitute fair use under US copyright law.

The next step involves the Copyright Office soliciting comments from the public about the proposed exemptions and holding a series of hearings. This is where you can help. OTW and EFF need comments from fans, vidders, remix artists, and others who have a stake in seeing the exemptions granted. You can show your support for the right to remix by...

1. Signing Kevin's Rip.Mix.Make petition; and/or

2. Submitting comments as described in this post from EFF.

Comments are due by February 10, 2012 at 5 PM Eastern Time so don't delay!