The average copyright term has tripled from approximately 32 years in 1973 to 95 years in 2003, primarily because Congress has extended existing copyrights eleven times in the past forty years rather than allowing works to enter the public domain as the Copyright Clause requires.
factualpending
Speaker
Lawrence LessigEvidence Quote
“In 1973, more than 85 percent of copyright owners failed to renew their copyright. That meant that the average term of copyright in 1973 was just 32.2 years. Because of the elimination of the renewal requirement, the average term of copyright is now the maximum term. In thirty years, then, the average term has tripled, from 32.2 years to 95 years.”
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Free cultureCreated: 8/13/2026, 2:35:01 AM
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