Lessig is concerned that creativity is being stifled because many works remain outside the public domain thanks to the extension of copyright laws, and he envisions the Creative Commons as a repository of universally accessible "artifacts of culture." Over 10 million works, including music, videos, and course materials, have thus far been released under Creative Commons licenses, and even hard-line opponents of unauthorized online file-sharing such as former Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) President Jack Valenti have been won over.

"The Internet is a machine for making copies, and artists need to come to grips with that," argues author Cory Doctorow, who has distributed several novels under Creative Commons licenses. He adds that new distribution models have always provoked howls of outrage that they threaten art, and such fears are unfounded. Washington general counsel for the MPAA Fritz Attaway sees no reason why Creative Commons-licensed works and traditionally copyrighted works cannot exist together. However, he contends that major film studios or record labels already reap plenty of profits from works released under the traditional copyright system, which makes wide distribution of their content under a Creative Commons scheme highly unlikely.

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Source: The Washington Post