CLEVELAND — Last week, I could have been sued for butchering the classic American song “Georgia on my Mind” on broadcast television, but no lawyers can stop me now, because as of this week, this classic song now officially belongs to the public domain — meaning it’s now fair-use to adapt and share however I want.
I could now even transform “Georgia on My Mind” into a rap song if I were so inclined, but I’m not a monster and no one deserves that.
In that one magic moment, a ton of cool old stuff became everyone’s stuff — no permission slips, no licensing fees. Community theaters can screen the movies; bands can play the songs; artists can remix, reboot, or completely ruin them for free. It’s an I.P. free-for-all!…