An article in Wednesday’s Alligator, “Notes for profit may violate law”, alleges that note-taking companies such as Einstein’s Notes may violate copyright law:
Note-taking companies are potentially violating the copyright of a professor’s work by getting it for free and reselling it at a profit without permission…
On Thursday, Florida Free Culture responded. President Gavin Baker authored a guest column, “Copyright shouldn’t silence creativity”:
What note-taking companies such as Einstein’s Notes and Smokin’ Notes do is summarize. Summary is not, and never has been, a violation of copyright … Copyright law has always recognized summary as a valid derivative work protected as a fair use under law, as it should. What’s next in the copyright crusade — Cliff’s Notes? Movie reviews? Book reports?
Member Alex Companioni also wrote a letter to the editor, “Copyright doesn’t cover notes”:
All knowledge builds on itself. The idea of using knowledge for personal gain is the exact reason knowledge exists — be it for monetary gain or personal expansion. Limiting the spread of this knowledge, and any profit one may receive from it, violates something greater than any person’s intellectual property.
The day’s Opinions poll is also on the subject: “Do note-taking companies violate copyright laws?” You can vote at this site on Thursday.
