Copyright and the internet, boy what a topic. This week’s must read installment is by Erick Schonfeld at Techcrunch. Money quote:

What we have here is a major disconnect between the norms of the offline world and the emerging norms of the Internet. Both the law and industry standards are trailing what is a major transformation in how people use other people’s words, music, and images in the Web’s culture of participation. Putting your photos up on Flickr (which Lane Hartwell did) and then acting surprised when someone uses them is like leaving your car in downtown Newark with the keys inside and acting surprised when it is, um, appropriated. The law may (or may not) be on Hartwell’s side (see below), but that is not the point. The law is outdated.

Techcrunch goes on to argue that in the modern internet, the link is the currency, and is adequate compensation. Techcrunch pedals influence, and from that point of view, linking and the associated influence is a form of currency.

Much further down, Erick writes my favorite and much used line:

There needs to be some reciprocity.

Indeed. What does reciprocity look like? Links don’t buy food. Techcrunch wants links; Lane Hartwell does not. Ironic, Techcrunch did not even compensate Lane Hartwell with a link.

I can’t imagine how a donate button combined with a sense of fair play would solve the Bubble video manner. I’m a big fan of the donate button, and a firm request that patrons use it.

Food for thought. Maybe better said: link for food.

The currency of exchange is currency. Copyright law might be outdated, but currency is not.