Have you been confused by the recent flurry of debate surrounding the Orphan Works Act of 2008? The legislation may have a significant impact on artists but the specific ramifications are somewhat unclear, which is why it's important to get a good sense of the matter from a legal perspective. Our sister publication, The Artist's Magazine, has commissioned several attorneys to address the controversy on our website:

"There appear to be strong feelings about orphan work legislation based on misinformation, a lack of understanding of the proposed laws or a fear of change. Alarmists have incorrectly stated that the orphan works bills would deprive copyright owners of their rights or force creative people to register their works with the Copyright Office. Others have characterized the proposed legislation as confiscatory and aimed at depriving copyright owners of their ability to obtain fair compensation for the uses of their works. None of these positions is accurate, though the legislation does have practical problems."

Read the entire article (by Leonard D. DuBoff and Christy O. King) here. And read The New York Times' "Little Orphan Artworks" here. (Thanks to Grace Dobush for the legwork.)