Thousands of authors have published an “empty” book to protest against AI firms using their work without permission.
About 10,000 writers, including Kazuo Ishiguro, Philippa Gregory, Alan Moore and Alastair Reynolds have contributed to Don’t Steal This Book, in which the only content is a list of their names.
Copies are being distributed to attenders at the London Book Fair, just one week before the UK government is due to issue an assessment on the economic cost of proposed changes in copyright law.
The full list of authors involved is featured on dontstealthisbook.com
The organiser of the book, Ed Newton-Rex, a composer and campaigner for protecting artists’ copyright, Founder of Fairly Trained, told The Guardian the AI industry was “built on stolen work … taken without permission or payment”.
Writing on BlueSky, he explained how “we’re publishing Don’t Steal This Book – a (mostly) empty book from almost 10,000 authors, protesting the theft of their work by AI companies.
“The UK government is considering upending copyright law to benefit AI companies. Don’t Steal This Book urges them not to.
“Apart from the list of authors involved, the book is empty, representing the effect the government’s plans would have on authors’ livelihoods.
“We’re handing out 1,000 free copies at London Book Fair over the next couple of days. If you’re there, pick up a copy!
“A huge thank you to the thousands of authors involved.”
The Guardian notes British artists have responded with outrage at the main government proposal in its AI consultation, which proposes letting AI firms use copyright-protected work without the owner’s permission – unless the owner has signalled that they want to opt out of the process. Elton John is among the artists to have protested over the prospect of a relaxation in copyright law, calling the government “absolute losers”.
The campaign follows the recent publication of The Publishers Association’s first comprehensive overview of how publishers license content for AI use, in the report Content Superpower: UK publishing and the AI licensing market.
The report clearly shows that despite ongoing uncertainty around the government’s approach to copyright and AI, the AI licensing marketing is established and growing. Therefore, calls for a copyright exception for AI are unjustified.
• Follow Ed Newton-Rex on BlueSky | Substack
- About the Author
- Latest Posts
John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.
He’s the writer of comics such as Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs”, with Dave Hailwood.
Categories: Art and Illustration, Books, Comics, Digital Media, downthetubes News, Events, Other Worlds
Leave a Reply