Master of laws paper on authorship in internet memes, need help/criticism

[UltraDavid]

Hey Street Writer. So I’m getting my second law degree specializing in copyright, internet, and entertainment law, and I have a big yearlong paper I’m fleshing out right now and that I hope I might be able to publish. Essentially it’ll be about whether copyright can or should be applied to internet memes. A big part of this is whether you can even identify an author of a meme or of a particular work in a meme series, since copyright is hugely dependent on there being an author. If anyone is interested or wants to give me some feedback, I’ll post up parts of it as I go along. I’d really appreciate any help.

For now I’m working on the most basic parts of it, like the definition of an internet meme. In my research so far I haven’t really found any definitions that lend themselves to getting the points I want to make across. Wikipedia has a definition, but it’s pretty weak. Here’s my stab at it:

An internet meme is a closely-connected series of works that has developed a broad internet audience by popularizing or capitalizing on some central theme and that is created, viewed, and transmitted quickly, freely, and largely anonymously. Individual works in an internet meme closely mirror the other works in the series, and although they are serial and can build upon previous works in the series, they can be produced by anyone without any centralized guidance other than the commonly understood principles that form the meme.

Any criticism?

[konkrete]

Hmmmmmmm
That is quite a task. gl hf on that one.
I always thought a meme was the singular idea behind the series, not so much the works themselves. Also, idk if a meme can only be a meme when it is more than one piece. I can’t think of any that are only one piece, off the top of my head right now though.

[acad-gatsu]

the first iteration seems a bit dense to me. i felt i got a better understanding after skimming through the wiki especially being able to go back to “meme” before “internet meme”.

will you be able to use your own definition? does it have to be made “official” somehow?

edit: btw im curious to hear where you’re going with it. maybe on wednesday? or continued here.

[System_1]

www.ytmnd.com

[redrapper]

Hey Street Writer. So I’m getting my second law degree specializing in copyright, internet, and entertainment law, and I have a big yearlong paper I’m fleshing out right now and that I hope I might be able to publish. Essentially it’ll be about whether copyright can or should be applied to internet memes. A big part of this is whether you can even identify an author of a meme or of a particular work in a meme series, since copyright is hugely dependent on there being an author. If anyone is interested or wants to give me some feedback, I’ll post up parts of it as I go along. I’d really appreciate any help.

For now I’m working on the most basic parts of it, like the definition of an internet meme. In my research so far I haven’t really found any definitions that lend themselves to getting the points I want to make across. Wikipedia has a definition, but it’s pretty weak. Here’s my stab at it:

Any criticism?

I think your definition is pretty spot on actually. I may be off base, but I think the first sentence would work better reading…

An internet meme is a closely-connected series of works that has developed a broad internet audience by popularizing or capitalizing on some central theme and that is created, viewed, and is transmitted quickly, freely, and largely anonymously.

Or what might work better

An internet meme is a closely-connected series of works that has developed a broad internet audience by popularizing or capitalizing on some central theme. It is created, viewed, and transmitted quickly, freely, and largely anonymously.

I thing “largely anonymously” sounds a bit awkward. That may be just me though. But otherwise, you do pretty much nail the definition of the whole thing spot on.

I’d like to read more to give you some feedback. The only thing is, I’m not sure what your position on it is. Are you for, or against copy-write towards the memes, or is this an unbiased look at the whole idea of it all? It sounds quite interesting. I write for stage mostly, but I’m certain I can help you sort out a few paragraphs or so if you need it. Post more! Hope to see it!