mikejkelley An open letter to the moddb.com staff blog

I've recently researched and written an article regarding copyright infringement as it applies to modding (and, briefly, the legal repercussions of hosting copyright-infringing materials). I completed it with the input of several lawyers and a professional game designer.

I realize that the "soapbox" feature's establishment is probably not coincidental with the "IP in mods" debate and that the article may seem a good candidate for inclusion in the "soapbox" feature. However, as the article contains a much higher ratio of legal citation than opinion (it contains a singular conclusion that is the reflection of a multitude of statutes and legal precedents), putting it in an oped feature would tend to undermine the amount of research and professional input it includes. As a result I would only be willing to let it run as a feature.

I'm sure the staff and users of moddb.com are just as concerned as I am about the survivability of modding. Hopefully, understanding the legal repercussions of making and distributing copyright infringing materials will result in change for the better and help to ensure the survivability of modding for years to come.

Mikejkelley.com

Thanks for your time and consideration and I hope to see the article featured soon.

Sincerely,

Michael Kelley