Only one thing is impossible for God: To find any sense in any copyright law on the planet. (Mark Twain)

Once upon a time copyright was a tool to help artists, a guarantee of limited profits and protection from corporate exploitation of their work. Copyright has since mutated into a weapon wielded by corporations to control the supply of art, music and ideas.

Corporations have been claiming ownership of an ever increasing chunk of our world. Classic fairy tales, centuries old traditional healing methods, and even living organisms have been privatized by the likes of Disney, Pfizer, and General Electric. The corporate world is stealing our collective cultural heritage to make a quick buck, and we're letting them get away with it.

In response Art Threat has launched the PACT campaign: Pooptagging Against Cultural Theft. The concept is simple. Corporations naturally try to privatize everything in their path, so we'll give them a hand. Whenever you see an abandoned pile of doggie doo, stick a copyright flag in it and lay your claim. One by one, we'll show the corporate world what we think of their claim to ownership of our culture.

We'll be collecting your photos of the PACT flags in action and will be posting them on our website, as well as on an interactive map on Google Maps. A selection of photos will be printed in the premiere issue of Art Threat Magazine.

Join the PACT: A Step-By-Step Guide

Share this video.

1. Download a PDF of a page of flags: Yellow / B&W
2. Print the flags on regular or sticker paper. Cut the individual flags out.
3. Wrap the flags around a toothpick or half a skewer; use glue if necessary.
4. Find a suitable poo target, and stick your flag in the mess
5. Take a photo and email it to us at editor AT artthreat.net. Send jpg files, 500 pixels wide at 72 dpi. Include the location of your flag, and if you give us your snail mail address, we'll send you an Art Threat PACT postcard as our way of saying thanks!

Interactive PACT Map

Visit our interactive map to see who is pooptagging against cultural theft, and where it's happening. Email us your photos and we'll add you to the map!

PACT Podcast

CBC Radio's Cinq à Six interviewed Rob about the PACT campaign. Listen in here. [mp3/3mb/2:50]

Copyright resources

Changing Copyright, essay by Negativland
It's A Steal, The Guardian