Saturday, November 27, 2010

AA Copywrite

AA material is copy write protected. Recent statements from central office regarding the reproduction of AA literature are concerning. It is uncertain what literature can be quoted on the internet without copywrite infringement. In other areas academically quoting a line is not an offense but a paragraph might well be infringement.
I am not clear which AA literature, whether the Big Book and 12 and 12 for instance, are subject to this stringent copywrite protection.
It's been a growing issue in the music industry and authors are increasingly being awarded settlements in legal cases regarding unauthorized 'use' of written material. It shouldn't come as a surprise that AA literature is being affected by this industry wide response.
Teachers are being considerably affected by the new regulations.
Central Office AA requests that permission be sought if any AA literature is to be used on the internet. I can not see that this best serves the alcoholic who still suffers but the issue of the revenue from AA literature is basic to central aspects of corporate organization.
I cannot reproduce any part of the copywrited AA document I just read because in doing so I could be doing what it attempts to discourage.
I came upon it by an internet search utilizing the words Alcoholics Anonymous & Internet. It was an eye opener.


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