If a hundred monkeys type out shakespeare, is it copyrighted? What about if one monkey takes a selfie?

Hi folks,

Next week, Thursday, September 4, from 3 to 5pm, we’ll hold a discussion session in Room 1320 on the “monkey selfie” — is it copyrightable? should it be? why or why not? Photographers, animal rights activists, cognitive scientists, and IP lawyers have been arguing about this issue for a while, but it’s taken on renewed interest in light of the Indonesian macaque selfies made possible by photographer David Slater, who has been claiming copyright over the works.
Snacks provided, but no nit-picking. RSVP to lquilter@library.umass.edu.

For an amusing (but factually inaccurate) “Shouts and Whispers” from the New Yorker, see http://www.newyorker.com/humor/daily-shouts/statement-monkey

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