Senate Committee Approves Orphan-Works Bill
The Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously approved a bill today to make it easier for scholars, archivists, and others to use orphan works. These are books, films, and other creations whose owners cannot be identified. Those who redistribute the material risk incurring penalties for copyright infringement. The legislation, The Shawn Bentley Orphan Works Act, S.2913, would make it less costly for people to exploit orphan works. A companion bill
cleared a panel of the U.S. House of Representatives last week.---Andrea L. Foster