Copyright extension - no justification based on increased life expectancy.

Capt'n Midnight

Copyright terms keep increasing.


... argue that it is necessary given that the life expectancy of humans has risen dramatically since Congress passed the original Copyright Act of 1790

Problem is that human life expectancy for adults has not gone up, what has happened is that child mortality has gone down a lot. Despite all the advances in medicine and sanitation the life expectancy of someone who has survived to 40 years old has only changed a few years since 1850, so copyright should only change by a similar amount if at all.



Another arguement for extending copyright is to provide for the descendants of the holder. Today this would be done by the state in most developed countries.

Victor

Lets face it, its mostly about protecting the American media boom in the first half of the last century.