FABULOUS SCRABULOUS, LAWRENCE LESSIG AND A FACEBOOK CRISIS

Way back a million years ago in the 1990s, the Internet mantra was "information wants to be free."  In other words, if you could figure out how to get something up on the Web, it was meant to be there.  So there was Napster - all the music you could grab.   Books, games,  news, music, images -- whatever you wanted you could find. -- for free.  Just like, right now, you can find the wonderful Scrabulous on Facebook.

Then attorney and -- really -- guru of the Information Age Lawrence   Lessig launched an entirely new way to define copyrights and began to institutionalize a new perspective on information.  Basically, since musicians, film makers, visual artists and authors were all sampling previous works within their new creations, Lessig demanded a new approach to the protection of intellectual property. 

So our beloved Interweb offers us a chance to find out anything about anything and gather any information from any source, but it also offers us real ethical problems:

For most of my life, I've made my living producing television news pieces and being pretty well paid for it.  Now, I'm often compensated for my work on the web - except for this blog.  I wrote and published a book, published book reviews for years and have written and published other features.  I get paid for my work; that's how I live.  If all information were to break free -- who would pay the creators?  Or, for that matter, the distributors.  Even if books are published online they need to get there; advance URLS have to be sent to reviewers, someone has to edit and proof-read.  That work, unlike information, does not want to be free.  Lessig would say it's too late to worry about that - online access has released the information so stop complaining and find another way to monetize your work.

Fair enough.  I have heard Lessig speak about this and it's thrilling.  The 60's girl in me loves the anarchic idea -- after all, information does want to be free.  But the analysis and creation of that information - not so much. Right now Hasbro and Mattel are trying to get a restraining order against Facebook, requiring the removal of the Facebook version of Scrabble, Scrabulous, for copyright violations.  Created by a couple of brothers in India and posted for free, it's one of Facebook's stars.  I'll be devastated if the game is actually removed because it's such a kick.  At the same time, I understand the concept of getting paid for distributing content, not just for creating it.  The Scrabulous brothers chose to built and post Scrabulous for free.  That's their decision.  But even company employees (including the people who make Scrabble boards and design their labels and ship the game to gift shops and Toys R Us, also have to eat.  It's as if all sides are right.  Lessig's exploration of all this is invaluable, but there's no answer yet - except of course in the law, which currently favors the terrestrial owners of such properties.  Josh Quittner, in his Fortune blog, has another perspective.  We're on a journey here just as we've been with the rest of the wonders and miracles that are the Web.

What do you think?  It's worth a comment here, no?   

Comments

[Cynthia Samuels]

I think you're right Michelle. I hadn't thought about it but I actually know young people newly interested in the board version because of Scrabulous. Good thought. As for the math - I also know people who use poker chips with different values attached to different colors to keep score. No kidding....

[Michelle]

I'm addicted to Scrabulous and would hate to see it go. I actually think the application is good for Hasbro and Mattel as it's really reviving the old board game. I mean, my bf and I have been playing so much that I was thinking about running to the store to buy the real game with real tiles (even though it would be a pain to calculate our own scores - ew, math).

[gilli]

Hi
Just been directed to you blog from Anali from analisfirstamendment
I'm with you I love Scrabulous as well and would be so disappointed if it was removed.
I do understand copyright of course working in Music Television. Artists should be paid for their work. But I think playing Scrabulous will inspire most people to get out their boards at home or go out and buy one. It worked for us. In fact we have had some fabulous arguments already over rules etc. Love it
Cheers