The Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act of 1998 extended copyright terms by 20 years, meaning no copyrighted works have passed into the public domain since 1923, while 1 million patents will enter the public domain in the same period, demonstrating copyright's special treatment in law.

factualpending

Speaker

Lawrence Lessig

Evidence Quote

No copyrighted work would pass into the public domain until that year... More than 1 million patents will pass into the public domain.
Created: 7/13/2026, 4:53:43 PM

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