6 October 2016 Dear Candidate, As Americans across the country prepare to elect a new President and Congress, the Copyright Alliance and CreativeFuture – two organizations that strongly support creative communities by working to protect creativity and encourage respect for copyright law – have partnered on letters (attached here) and a Change.org petition, to ensure that the views of the creative communities are heard. Signed by over 35,000 creatives, audience members, fans, and consumers, the letters recognize that the internet is a powerful and democratizing force, but also stress the need for a strong copyright system that rewards creativity and promotes a healthy creative economy. Whether you are a Democrat or Republican, liberal or conservative or libertarian, strong and effective copyright is not a partisan issue , but rather one that benefits our entire country. The letters and petition discuss the complementary relationship between a strong copyright system, free expression, creativity, innovation, and technology. The signers affirmed: We embrace the internet as a powerful democratizing force for creative industries and the world at large. We embrace a strong copyright system that rewards creativity and promotes a healthy creative economy. We proudly assert that copyright promotes and protects free speech. Copyright should allow creative communities to safeguard their rights against those who would use the internet to undermine creativity. Creative communities must be part of the conversation and stand up for creativity. Sincerely, Ruth Vitale CEO, CreativeFuture Keith Kupferschmid CEO, Copyright Alliance Open Letter to 2016 Political Candidates We are members of the creative community. While our political views are diverse, as creators, there are core principles on which we can all agree. And we appreciate the opportunity to share our views with our country’s current and future leaders. We embrace the internet as a powerful democratizing force for our world and for creative industries. We recognize its ability to inspire positive change and improve lives. In our creative industries, the internet has helped to advance creativity by removing barriers to entry for newcomers, fostering a dialogue with fans, audiences, and consumers, and providing numerous additional ways to reach them. The internet holds great potential to expand creativity and free expression. We embrace a strong copyright system that rewards creativity and promotes a healthy creative economy. The incredible cultural and economic value that the internet delivers to billions of users is based in very large part on the efforts of creative content makers whose livelihoods depend on being compensated for their efforts. Internet platforms are making massive profits from creative contributions to the internet’s growth. It is not too much to ask that content creators should be able to share in the value they provide. We proudly assert that copyright promotes and protects free speech. Freedom of speech and freedom of expression go hand in hand with the freedom to create and to preserve the value and integrity of what one creates. The copyright clause of the Constitution is not in conflict with the First Amendment; indeed, the Supreme Court has called copyright the “engine of free expression” and copyright law has "built-in free speech safeguards." To creative people, self-expression is deeply personal. It is at the heart of everything creators do. We view any effort to diminish the rights of creators in the name of “free speech” as cynical and dishonest. Copyright should protect creators from those who would use the internet to undermine creativity. The internet can be a great tool for creators just as it can be a tool for science, education, health care, and many other disciplines. However, when misused, it can harm creativity and stifle freedom of expression. Our current and future leaders recognize that a safe and secure internet benefits us all. And all parties recognize the importance of strong copyright protections in their technology policy platforms because protecting copyright and internet freedom are both critically important and complementary—they are not mutually exclusive. A truly free internet, like any truly free community, is one where people respect the rights of others and can engage in legitimate activities safely—and where those who do not are held accountable under law by their peers. Creators must be part of the conversation and stand up for creativity. Some organizations and advocates, who in many cases are funded by online platforms, repeatedly claim to be pro-creators and pro-audience to mask their own self-serving agenda. They denigrate or block effective efforts to preserve and promote creative content, including enforcement of existing laws and voluntary industry initiatives. The creative community is rightfully wary of any company or organization that claims to be "against piracy" when their actions do not match their words. There is no “left” or “right” when it comes to respecting copyright. The creative community stands united in support of a copyright system that will continue to make the United States the global leader in the creative arts and the global paradigm for free expression. Our copyright system is not perfect but, like democracy, it is better than the alternatives. It works. We urge our leaders to uphold America’s commitment to the rights of creatives to determine when and how their works are shared in the global marketplace. October 6, 2016 Open Letter Supporters Diane Aboud Dominic Anderson Natylie Baldwin Joseph Abrahams Patricia J. Anderson Lee Balgemann Elizabeth Abts Rae Andre LaGuardia Ballard Chris Adams Lee Antonelli-Roman Julianne Balmain David Adams Linda Rae Apolzon Loren Balman Jonathan Adams Cooper Appelt Cary Banks Christine A Adams John Arena Russell Banks Warren Adler Cheryl Arguile Robert Banov Eugenia Ahern Petek Arici Ismael Barajas Robert Ahrold Wendy Aron Richard Barber Osama Akram Jesse Albert Arteaga Michael Barela Bernardo Alayza Mujica Gaiane Arzuyan Rebecca Barker Tony Alberico Mary Ashcliffe Curt Barlage Carlos Alejandro Linda Ashman Naomi Barman Debra Alexander PMH Atwater David Barnett Rick Allen Shirl Jae Atwell Brenda Barnhill V. Lee Allen Ken Austin Denee Barr Delores Allen Will Austin Gonzalo Barr Matt Allison David Ayers Carolyn Barrett Steve Alvarez Sharon Bach Niki Barrie Patricia Always Johnny Bee Badanjek Victor Arturo Barrientos Linda Amendt Christos Badavas Chris Barry Davena Amick-Elder Richard Bailey Jeb Barry Kathleen Amirault Craig Bailey Lori Barth Kalliope Amorphous Deirdre Bair Jim Bartsch Stephen Amos Jane Baker Maria Bastone George Ancona Susan Baker Richard Beaulieu Daniel Beauvais Nelly Black James Boyle Mark Beiner Casey Blanchard Steve Boyle Michelle Belken Robert Blanken Robert Brabham Lydia Bell Win Blevins Maureen Brady Keith Bell Karen Blue Kathleen Brady Barbara Bell Tom Blumenfeld Eileen Bramlet Peter Bella David Bly Lee Brauer Clara Bellino Mike Boatman Edward Bray Stephen Bellomo Thomas Bocci Noel-Anne Brennan Cindy Bendel Patricia Bode Barbara Brenner Charlotte Bennardo Ivan Boden Barbara Brett Dusk Bennett Christopher Boffoli Arthur Brewer Seth Benson Steve Bogard Tom Brighton Eleanor Beram Colin Bogucki Dennis Broadbent Pat Bereczki Kevin Bohren Sarah Brockman Fernando Bergamaschi Robert Bonazzi Cathleen Broderick Edward Berlin Katherine Bongfeldt Randy Brogen Susan Bernofsky Bruce Bonnett Dean Brooks Jeremy Bernsdorff Jane Booth Christina (Tina) Broussard Leah Bernstein Danuta Borchardt Sarah Browder Anne Bernstein Nicholas Borelli Beth Brown Geoffrey Berrsford Steven Bornholtz Cate Brown Perle Besserman John Bosher Carol Browning Marian Betancourt Jill Bossert Christopher Brubeck William Betson Betsy Connor Bowen Allen Bryan Gerald H Beulah Jr Carl Bower Rick Bryant Stewart Bird Gary Bowlby Margaret Buchholz Mike Bizelli Ken Box Bruce Buck William Buckley Jeffrey Carolus Lara Christie Ron Bufford Richard Carrasco Janet CIccone Pat Bunch Christopher Carroll Ralph Cissne Rory Burbeck Wilma Carroll Rebecca Clark Joseph Burda Elise Carter Harry W Clor Jose Carlo Burgos Anthony Cascella Danielle Coffey Katrina Burgoyne Laura Casey Barry Coffing John Burke Jerry Casey Josh Cogan Kathy Burke Michelle Casillas Thomas Cogan Bruce G. Burton Marsh Cassady Robin Cogan Robert Brown Butler Kay Cassill Stewart Cohen R.M. Butt Phyllis Cast David Cohen-Crumpton Alex Butterfield Dwight Cendrowski Paula Coia Valerie Bybee Bruno Chalifour Roman Coia Michael Bynum Caroline Challinor Christine Colasurdo Margaret Cailleteau Debra Chambers Cathy Colby-Grauer Laurie Calkhoven Devasahayam Chandra Dhas Christian Coleman Jerry Callaghan Sue Chard Henry Coleman James Cameron Victor Chase Newton Collier Kenneth Cameron Mary Chase Tim Collingwood Steven Campbell Michael James Chavarria C Collins Marc Campbell Esteban Chavez Neil Colton Dina Carbonell Margaret Cheasebro Sara Colton Glenn Carle Rowena Cherry Phil Condit Denise Carlisle David Childress Scott Condos P.M. Carlson Lili Chin Mark Conte Patricia Carlton-McQueen Ronald Chironna Barbara Cook Nanette Carnes Susan Christenson Sally Cook Candy Cooper Arletta Cwalina Elda Dellinger Michael Corbley Becket Cyrus Jacqueline Dembar Greene Dennis Cordell Steven Daane Margaret DeMott Christopher S. Cornell Axel Dahlberg Graeme Dennis Craig Cornwall Roger Daines Walter Deptula Jerry Cortez Steve Danley Mary Derbick-Johnson Monica Corton Koralynn Dark Carolyn Dethlefson Nicholas S Costa Annette Dashchi Laura Deutsch Laura Cottam