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Re: RJ's letter to me

 In <4r2gj8$j57@newsbf02.news.aol.com> shawnisgod@aol.com (ShawnisGod) writes:
 >Not if you don't mind lawyers. Technically, his letter to you is private
 >correspondence, and posting it would be a breach of privacy and possibly
 >worth a slander charge or something similar. It's not a violation of
 >copyright laws unless the document itself has been specifically
 >copyrighted, however, since certain names/references (such as _The Wheel
 >of Time_) HAVE been copyrighted or trademarked, that WOULD make the post a
 >violation of copyright.
 I'm not sure how you got slander as a possible problem.  It would only
 be slander/libel if she posted a letter that she claimed was by Jordan
 but wasn't and that put Jordan in a very bad light.
 Copyright is automatic now in the US as soon as you write something
 down so the letter is copyrighted by Jordan (however she owns the
 actual material letter).  Nor can you evade copyright by putting a
 disclaimer like the one you suggest below.
 >Note that it WOULD be legal IF you noted what is trademarked/copyrighted,
 >and by whom, and you added a postscript to the effect of, "All references
 >to copyrighted  or trademarked materials and/or concepts is in no way
 >intended to infringe upon said copyrights", or some such drivel. It
 >happens all the time when someone posts song lyrics to a web page, or
 >artwork, or short stories.
 You are allowed to quote extracts from copyrighted material for fair
 use without getting permission from the copyright owner (in this case
 Jordan) but I believe the quotes must not be a major part of the work
 (either the original work or the work they are being used in).  One
 of the lawyers around this group can be more exact in what constitutes
 Fair Use as I believe there are some large gray areas.
 It is also perfectly legal for her to summarize the letter as
 copyright deals with the expression of an idea not the actual idea.
 Ethically she should not reveal any part of the letter that is meant
 for her eyes only.
 Emma
 ps. And I don't think any trademarks used in the letter matter one bit
 or we would all be in serious trouble every time we mention America
 Online.  Trademarks would be a concern if she decided to market 'Wheel
 of Time hankerchiefs' for those sniffing women in your life.
 -- 
 \----                                                            |blue|
 |\* | Emma Pease                    Net Spinster                 | () |
 |_\/  emma@csli.stanford.edu        Die Luft der Freiheit weht   | /\ |