The issue of social responsibility applies not only to corporations but to individuals as well. As consumers, we have the obligation to not only respect the environment and do our part for the greater good but to also respect the hard work of professionals. Copyright infringement usually gets media attention these days due to digital piracy, or illegally downloading music or movies from unauthorized internet sites (remember when burning a CD was such a big deal?).
The most recent newsmaker regarding this issue is not a music mogul or a television writer, but a book author, J.K. Rowling. Quite possibly one of the most successful authors today, Rowling is wrapped up in a lawsuit regarding Michigan-based publisher RDR Books and an avid fan with big ideas, Steven Vander Ark. Vander Ark did what most other people do these days with something they’re passionate about: he started a website, which at first received praises from Rowling herself. She changed her tune, however, when he decided to turn his Harry Potter lexicon website into book form, charge $24.95 each and began warning others not to copy portions of his website.
"I think it's atrocious. I think it's sloppy. I think there's very little research," the author testified Monday. "This book constitutes wholesale theft of 17 years of my hard work."
There’s no doubt that J.K. Rowling’s empire is successful. Her books have been translated into 64 languages, sold more than 400 million copies while the film franchise has made $4.5 billion worldwide at the box office. This shows that the communications industry is more than just corporate ethics and ever-increasing internet technology; the book industry still remains a viable outlet for words and messages. Those messages should be protected. Even multi-billionaires deserve to get what’s rightfully their own, bringing social responsibility and ethical issues of communication back to their roots: books.
The most recent newsmaker regarding this issue is not a music mogul or a television writer, but a book author, J.K. Rowling. Quite possibly one of the most successful authors today, Rowling is wrapped up in a lawsuit regarding Michigan-based publisher RDR Books and an avid fan with big ideas, Steven Vander Ark. Vander Ark did what most other people do these days with something they’re passionate about: he started a website, which at first received praises from Rowling herself. She changed her tune, however, when he decided to turn his Harry Potter lexicon website into book form, charge $24.95 each and began warning others not to copy portions of his website.
"I think it's atrocious. I think it's sloppy. I think there's very little research," the author testified Monday. "This book constitutes wholesale theft of 17 years of my hard work."
There’s no doubt that J.K. Rowling’s empire is successful. Her books have been translated into 64 languages, sold more than 400 million copies while the film franchise has made $4.5 billion worldwide at the box office. This shows that the communications industry is more than just corporate ethics and ever-increasing internet technology; the book industry still remains a viable outlet for words and messages. Those messages should be protected. Even multi-billionaires deserve to get what’s rightfully their own, bringing social responsibility and ethical issues of communication back to their roots: books.
1 comment:
Good post. Hope you keep up your blog. If you change the name let me know so I can keep up with you. You did a nice job this semester. Have a great summer.
--Prof. Flournoy
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