Copright question about the Society

ExmormonRobertson

I just recieved the Watchtower CD ROM today and did a search on Mormons. I found some very funny stuff I would like to reprint on my web site. Does the Watchtower Society come after people hard when someone reprints their articles?

hippikon

They havn't come after me yet - Look under "Study Articles"

reagan_oconnor

When you installed the software, you probably saw a screen that said this:

"Unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this program, or any portion of it, is illegal, dishonest, and unfair."

This isn't exactly "iron-clad," so I wouldn't worry about it.

Reagan

I am the master of my fate/I am the captain of my soul.

JWinSF

The copyright laws that the Society refers to only apply to reproduction for commercial purposes. If it's for educational purposes or not-for-profit use, they have no legal recourse.

They tried to shut down our web site several years ago for posting a picture from the "Paradise" book. GeoCities caved in, only later to re-establish us. Their legal department tried to "strong-arm" their way into our being shut down. It didn't work. In fact, we came back stronger as a result of the bad publicity that the WTBTS got for trying their usual under-handed tactics.

So, go ahead, post. As long as you're not doing it for profit, they can't legally touch you.

Bye,

Simon

You are allowed to use a certain amount for literary criticism. Given how much they publish then even a small percentage would amount to more than I could ever type in my lifetime !

See the bottom of http://www.jwtruth.com/jwt/terms.asp for some links:

Copyright Notice: The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society holds the copyright for many quotes used on this site, therefore this information is posted under the provisions of international Copyright law, which allows for excerpts to be published, for the purpose of review and/or study, without first obtaining the express written consent of the copyright holder. According to the FAQ a the U.S. Copyright office:
How much of someone else's work can I use without getting permission?
Under the fair use doctrine of the U.S. copyright statute, it is permissible to use limited portions of a work including quotes, for purposes such as commentary, criticism, news reporting, and scholarly reports. There are no legal rules permitting the use of specific number of words counts, a certain number of musical notes, or percentages of a work. Whether a particular use qualifies as fair use depends on all the circumstances. See Circular 21 and FL 102.
The above mentioned FAQ is a simple language synopsis of relevant copyright law, in particular §107 of the US Code -- Title 17 - Copyrights; Chapter 1-- Subject Matter and Scope of Copyrights.

gsark

"Unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this program, or any portion of it, is illegal, dishonest, and unfair.

If the 'Society' says this on their published material, and yet it is legal/fair/ to use their material, aren't they making a blatantly false statement? In other words, a lie?

Life is a roller coaster. Get in, sit down, shut up and hang on!

Seeker

Since 'fair use' is specifically authorized, it may not be a lie.