UPDATE

We do not need to be afraid! As Homophones has brought to my attention, the "legislation" is actually just a "note of inquiry". That means that it is a hearing where comments and opinions are invited, but no rules have as yet been proposed. There is no bill yet... this is only one of multiple preliminary moves required by law before a bill can start to go through Congress.

We are OKAY for now! Nothing will change yet, but it is still important to be vigilant and aware of such matters." :)

Also, the problem is that while it's a lot safer than we thought at the moment and in all likelihood it won't be passed, it is still a potential threat and could catch back up to us if we do not put a stop to it now.

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http://fuckingfurries.tumblr.com/post/124452322314/call-to-action-protect-our-rights-as-artists

" THIS PIECE OF LEGISLATION, resurrected from the bowels of 2008, WILL DO THE FOLLOWING:

“The Next Great Copyright Act” would replace all existing copyright law.
1. It would void our Constitutional right to the exclusive control of our work.
2. It would “privilege” the public’s right to use our work.
3. It would “pressure” you to register your life’s work with commercial registries.
4. It would “orphan” unregistered work.
5. It would make orphaned work available for commercial infringement by “good faith” infringers.
6. It would allow others to alter your work and copyright those “derivative works” in their own names.
7. It would affect all visual art: drawings, paintings, sketches, photos, etc.; past, present and future; published and unpublished; domestic and foreign.

UNLESS YOU HAVE REGISTERED YOUR WORK WITH THE COPYRIGHT OFFICE (which is expensive to even register a single piece, let alone hundreds), ALL OF YOUR WORK IS CONSIDERED ORPHAN AND UP FOR GRABS WITH THIS LEGISLATION. DON’T LET THAT FUCKING BULLSHIT HAPPEN. YOU CREATED YOUR WORK, YOU OWN YOUR WORK, YOU HAVE ALL RIGHTS TO YOUR WORK, SO LET’S KEEP IT THAT WAY. WRITE YOUR LETTER! "

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Artists-Alert–The-Return-of-Orphan-Works-Part-2—ARTISTS–LETTERS.html?soid=1102063090742&aid=DEeIBiwWgJ4

http://www.tomrichmond.com/2015/07/17/return-of-the-son-of-the-orphan-works-act/

http://ipaorphanworks.blogspot.com/2015_07_01_archive.html