It is not. We currently give ~infinite copyright automatically for nothing in return:

> Neither the deposit requirements of this subsection nor the acquisition provisions of subsection (e) are conditions of copyright protection.

https://www.copyright.gov/title17/92chap4.html#407

▲ shagie 5 hours ago | parent [-]

Publishing of copyrighted material requires that it be deposited with the Library of Congress.

▲ ndriscoll 5 hours ago | parent [-]

Right, that's why I said we should make copyright require deposit and registration (like it used to). Publish your work without its copyright ID for people to use to reference the LoC database? It is now public domain.

▲ shagie 4 hours ago | parent [-]

That would require a renegotiation of the TRIPS Agreement and the Berne Convention with the rest of the countries of the WTO.

https://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/trips_e/ta_docs_e/modul...

    (iii) Automatic protection A key feature of the Berne Convention, and thus also of the TRIPS Agreement, is that copyright protection - unlike most other forms of IPRs - may not be subject to any formality of registration, deposit, or the like. This principle is contained in Article 5(2) of the Berne Convention, that has been incorporated into the TRIPS Agreement.

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ndriscoll 4 hours ago | parent [-]

So? Of all the aggressive things the US forces upon the world (or just unilaterally does, ignoring agreements), undoing its own bad policy would be a drop in the bucket, and would be doing some good for once. I'm sure if we just did it, others would respond tit-for-tat and require registration of our material, and then mission accomplished.

(And at the end of the day, sovereign people are never required to do anything. The concept of international law is an oxymoron)

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shagie 4 hours ago | parent [-]

I don't believe it is a bad policy that copyright on anything that is copyrightable is automatic (I don't need to register this comment with the Library of Congress).

... And it would require renegotiating the treaty with all of these countries so that AI training is easier. https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/treaties/parties/231

... Or it would require the US to withdraw from the WTO and pass new laws for how copyright works.

I don't believe that neither the renegotiation nor the withdrawal would be something that would be done.

... And I believe that automatic copyright (as has been part of the Berne Convention since 1886) is a good thing.

	▲	ndriscoll 4 hours ago \| parent [-]
		It's not to make AI training easier; AI training is already happening. It's perfectly easy for them. It's to preserve our heritage and knowledge. Automatic copyright is what causes information to be lost. I don't suppose you're going to submit your comment to LoC or otherwise keep it available for 70 years after you die? Does everyone remember to submit their code they publish? We're not losing books because of AI companies. We already lose them because the law makes it so only groups like Anna's Archive can save them.