Coincidence? We Think Not: Creative Commons and Copyright

First Ann Wood posted about her politely unnamed bird theives. Then Etsy's Storque carried a column on Creative Commons and Copyrights. Linda over at CraftApple posted two more interesting and link filled posts on the topic here and here.

Marimello talked about this topic awhile ago, but there seems to be a lot of copycatting going around these days. Many of the threads on Copyrighting are fueled by justifiable anger at the design thieves, but few seem to point to actual legal definitions and sites where a crafter can start the process of reclaiming a design.

A good place to start is the government's site on copyright. Sure it seems obvious, but it also seems boring. So suck it up and remember boring equals important.

If you've seen some of your designs floating on the web's high seas, best reel them in with a quick peruse of the government's site on fair use and copyright. Fair use means there are certain circumstances when it is OK to repost copyrighted works. So, before you head up the hill with torches burning, best to see EXACTLY what your rights are. And before you burn someone up in a tyrannical thread, know what their rights are.

Not to sign the post off on such a serious note...here's the fun part. Exactly which laws is Marimello breaking with that jpeg up top? Extra bonus points if you can tell us what laws our hamburglar halloween costume is not be breaking!