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Culture

by Mike Masnick

Fri, Jun 3rd 2011 3:23pm




Filed Under:
cia, documentary, freedom of information


FOIA Request Unveils Secret CIA-Produced Documentary About CIA Agents Captured & Held In China For Decades

from the what's-the-copyright-status? dept

This is fascinating. Apparently, a US plane with CIA agents on board flew into China in 1952, trying to recover a spy in that country. However, the plane went down, and the Chinese captured the two CIA agents who survived the crash... and then kept them until 1971 and 1973. That, in itself, is an interesting story. But making it even more interesting is that the CIA had a professional documentary made about the story (including reenactments), intended for internal audiences within the CIA. Yet, thanks to a Freedom of Information Act request by the Associated Press, the CIA is now planning to release the entire (short) movie on YouTube. Of course, as a work created by the government, it should be in the public domain, though I'm curious to see if that's officially acknowledged anywhere.

13 Comments | Leave a Comment

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  1.  
    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, Jun 3rd, 2011 @ 3:28pm

    No, the AP will try to (wrongfully) hold the 'rights' to it, since they made the request.

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  2.  
    icon
    Marcus Carab (profile), Jun 3rd, 2011 @ 3:32pm

    Re:

    They have a copy of the video already, that they may release, but the CIA is putting it directly on their YouTube channel soon, so I don't think AP will try to claim anything.

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  3.  
    icon
    A Dan (profile), Jun 3rd, 2011 @ 3:43pm

    Public domain

    So we can remix it and make our own versions as we see fit?

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  4.  
    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, Jun 3rd, 2011 @ 3:54pm

    Re: Public domain

    Derivative works?

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  5.  
    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, Jun 3rd, 2011 @ 3:55pm

    Re: Public domain

    (perhaps we can mix it with other videos made by the government. Make a sort of remix)?

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  6.  
    identicon
    Joseph Durnal, Jun 3rd, 2011 @ 4:13pm

    It's online now

    Interesting so far, I wonder if it can hold my attention for a full hour.

    http://www.youtube.com/user/ciagov?ob=5#p/u/0/Z0Mh7EiXRJI

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  7.  
    icon
    that_id (profile), Jun 3rd, 2011 @ 5:19pm

    So Disney will try to copyright the terms 'CIA, China, youtube...'

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  8.  
    identicon
    Lawrence D'Oliveiro, Jun 3rd, 2011 @ 7:12pm

    Re: So Disney will try to copyright the terms 'CIA, China, youtube...'

    Since when did Disney try to copyright “terms”?

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  9.  
    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, Jun 3rd, 2011 @ 7:16pm

    Re: Re: So Disney will try to copyright the terms 'CIA, China, youtube...'

    I think the other poster is referring to when they applied for a trademark for "Seal Team Six"

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  10.  
    identicon
    Wolfy, Jun 4th, 2011 @ 10:13am

    "The Puzzle Palace" was written by James Bamford with documents that became declassified by internal criteria. It's a very interesting look into the world of TS/SCI. This book was singlehandedly responsible for a whole new classification scheme that almost ensures that any document, once classified, will never become declassified in the future.

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  11.  
    icon
    Hephaestus (profile), Jun 4th, 2011 @ 11:40am

    Re: Re: Re: So Disney will try to copyright the terms 'CIA, China, youtube...'

    /sarc, me thinks

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  12.  
    icon
    DannyB (profile), Jun 4th, 2011 @ 12:23pm

    should be in the public domain

    > Of course, as a work created by the government,
    > it should be in the public domain


    Mike, you must be behind the times. Haven't you heard?

    There's no value in the public domain.

    :-)

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  13.  
    icon
    The eejit (profile), Jun 4th, 2011 @ 1:16pm

    Re: should be in the public domain

    .public=.thief

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]


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