Also, a lot of copyright law around the world is very close to American copyright law, so what happens outside of the US is anyone's guess. For example, AFAIK, a lot of Soviet cartoons are in a copyright limbo of Russia because they infringe on Disney's (and others') IP [2]
Ah, i get the effect idea/system. Way cheaper for a huge company/conglomerate to uphold all of the laws on the planet so they can operate and earn money everywhere.
Willingham explains his actions a bit more in this post:
Also, a lot of copyright law around the world is very close to American copyright law, so what happens outside of the US is anyone's guess. For example, AFAIK, a lot of Soviet cartoons are in a copyright limbo of Russia because they infringe on Disney's (and others') IP [2]
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brussels_effect
[2] Fo example, Winnie the Pooh: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQmGXzNMw0E