Access Shrugged: The Decline of the Copyleft and the Rise of Utilitarian Openness

Sinnreich, A., Aufderheide, P., Clifford, M., & Shahin, S. (2020). Access shrugged: The decline of the copyleft and the rise of utilitarian openness. New Media & Society. DOI: 10.1177/1461444820957304

46 Pages Posted: 28 Nov 2022

See all articles by Aram Sinnreich

Aram Sinnreich

American University School of Communication

Patricia Aufderheide

American University - School of Communication

Maggie Clifford

American University

Saif Shahin

American University

Date Written: September 12, 2020

Abstract

This article maps patterns of interest in key terms associated with copyright and online culture in the US context. Using exploratory factor analysis of data from Google Trends, authors examined patterns in keyword searches between 2004 and 2019. The data show three distinct periods of interest. The first period consists of utopian, cause-driven search terms; the second marks a rise and eventual decline in creatively motivated, maker-fueled searches; and the third is characterized by rising utilitarian and institutional interest in accessible copyrighted material. These data show empirically that the public curiosity about alternatives to strict copyright have changed during the study period. Earlier, more idealistic movements contrast with later, more practical approaches.

Keywords: Copyleft, copyright, creative commons, digital media, fair use, law and society, open license, open source, remix, search trends

Suggested Citation

Sinnreich, Aram and Aufderheide, Patricia and Clifford, Maggie and Shahin, Saif, Access Shrugged: The Decline of the Copyleft and the Rise of Utilitarian Openness (September 12, 2020). Sinnreich, A., Aufderheide, P., Clifford, M., & Shahin, S. (2020). Access shrugged: The decline of the copyleft and the rise of utilitarian openness. New Media & Society. DOI: 10.1177/1461444820957304, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4250425 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4250425

Aram Sinnreich (Contact Author)

American University School of Communication ( email )

Mary Graydon Center
4400 Massachusetts Av. NW
Washington, DC 20016
United States

HOME PAGE: http://www.american.edu/soc/

Patricia Aufderheide

American University - School of Communication ( email )

4400 Massachusetts Ave, NW
Washington, DC 20016
United States
202-885-2069 (Phone)

HOME PAGE: http://cmsimpact.org

Maggie Clifford

American University ( email )

4400 Massachusetts Ave, NW
Washington, DC 20016
United States

Saif Shahin

American University ( email )

Mary Graydon Center
4400 Massachusetts Av. NW
Washington, DC 20016
United States

HOME PAGE: http://https://saifshahin.wordpress.com

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