![]() ![]() On the one hand, Disney pushed for the law that extended the copyright term to 95 years, which became referred to derisively as the “Mickey Mouse Protection Act.” This extension has been criticized by scholars as being economically regressive and having a devastating effect on our ability to digitize, archive, and gain access to our cultural heritage. The protagonists are Mickey, Disney and the Public Domain, and their relationship positively exemplifies the social media weasel-words “it’s complicated.” ![]() The reason that this event gathers so much attention is that it is the story of a 95-year-old love triangle, a tangled drama that rivals any Disney movie for twists and turns. So are Sherlock Holmes and Winnie the Pooh, and while they entered the public domain with some fanfare, it paled in comparison to this event. Why? It is not simply that Mickey is a famous copyrighted character. The public domain has had some famous recent arrivals, but this is the most anticipated entry yet. Outside of the US, it appears that Steamboat Willie is also in the public domain in some countries, while it remains copyrighted in others.) (Note that this article is only about US law. The first movies in which the iconic mouse appeared – Steamboat Willie and the silent version of Plane Crazy – were made in 1928 and works from that year go into the public domain in the US on New Year’s Day 2024. On January 1, 2024, after almost a century of copyright protection, Mickey Mouse, or at least a version of Mickey Mouse, will enter the United States public domain. By Jennifer Jenkins, Director, Duke Center for the Study of the Public Domain ![]()
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