[FFML] Fic archiving and FF.net

[Gary Kleppe]

On Fri, 8 May 2009 14:00:26 +1000 (EST), you wrote:

>On Thu, 7 May 2009, Richard Lawson <nouma at msn.com> wrote:

>> The general feeling was that no one should be allowed to profit from 
>> fanfiction.  A hosting site that earns ad revenue for its owners goes 
>> against the very concept of fanfiction, which technically violates 
>> copyright.  The only way fanfiction should be allowed to happen is when 
>> it is freely available in a format that doesn't earn money for anyone.
>
>Hmm; a charming little theory perhaps, but (more or less as you say) 
>absurdly naive, when one has fees to pay to maintain a site.

Speaking as someone who has espoused the viewpoint that Richard
described, I'd point out that web hosting is fairly cheap these days.
It's possible to maintain a personal web site for around $50/year. A
multi-author site could pool costs and end up spending even less than
that per person.

>> Honestly, about the only way a long-term fanfiction hosting 
>> site is going to exist at all is if it generates revenue for the owners.
>
>Exactly.  And (so far as I'm aware), fanfiction.net/fictionpress.com 
>aren't making money from the _fiction_ per se; if they were selling it 
>directly for profit, or claiming exclusive rights, then certainly people 
>would have cause to complain.

I don't think that anybody's accusing the site owners of making
significant money on this. The *advertisers* are another matter. Of
course every one of us has to decide for ourselves whether or not this
is a concern.

>> What this means with regards to copyright I don't know.  Most publishers 
>> turn a blind eye to fanfiction because they realize it keeps interest 
>> high, and the more fanfiction there is the more likely people are to 
>> seek out the source material.  Down the line, however, FF.net may find 
>> itself facing a Cease & Desist order from a persnickity author.  We'll 
>> have to wait and see.

Another possibility is that one of the corporations with legal rights
to the work, being strapped for cash in today's economy, might go to
fanfiction.net and say, hey, you've been bringing in ad revenue using
characters that we own the legal rights to. That money, or at least a
big chunk of it, rightfully belongs to us.