Photo courtesy of Deborah De Angelis

Our next ‘Meet the CC Summit Presenter’ Q&A features Italian Attorney-at-law and the Lead and Representative of the Italian Chapter of the Creative Commons Global Network, Deborah De Angelis. Deborah is a legal expert in copyright law, entertainment law and new technologies. She also worked as legal advisor on copyright law to the previous Italian Minister of Cultural Heritage. She carries out teaching and training activities, has organized numerous conferences and events in the field of copyright and entertainment law, and has authored several publications in that field. She is a fellow of the NEXA Center for the Internet & Society. She is a component of the working group Digital Cultural Heritage ICOM ITALIA – 2020. Since 2008, she is the president of the no-profit association A-DJ that promotes and protects professional DJs.

Based in?: Rome, Italy

Summit Session: Creative Commons for Privacy Commons: How CC can Inspire Creation of Legal Tools for Managing Privacy Issues on-line.

How did you get involved with Creative Commons?

Back in 2001, during my research in the field of digital music copyright law.

How many times have you been to CC Global Summit?
2

What was your favorite CC Global Summit? 

The first one that I joined in Lisbon in 2019, one year before Covid.

In the future, what is something you would like to see at CC Summit?

When it will be possible to attend physically again, I would like to have more CC artists’ performances/exhibitions.

Why are you an advocate for Open?

Because I believe that it is the right way to manage culture, research and information online, enhancing the importance of sharing and access to culture for everyone all over the world.

What is your proudest achievement?

I am proud to have designed and opened, since ten years ago, the access to CC music for background music (radio in store) in commercial premises and chains in Italy, nevertheless the monopoly of the Italian collecting society for authors and publishers (SIAE). I am also proud of having achieved the support of the Italian Parliament for the free reproduction of digital images of cultural heritage in Italy, expressed with the Resolution dated June 16th 2021. But there is still more to be done in order to convince the Government to adopt effective and real policy of open access.

What is the best part of what you do? What is the most difficult part of what you do?

The best part of what I do is giving my legal support and sharing my expertise on copyright law and culture heritage law. The most difficult part of what I do is changing the ideas of the institutions who are not ready for the change, in favor of the free sharing of culture and knowledge.

What is your favorite GIF? 

What tool/platform/app are you loving right now?

I love Shazam to find out the credits of the music I am listening to, Whatsapp and Messanger for Messaging, Carl for plants, Waze to move around.

What’s one new trend that you think the CC community should look out for?

Short videos on CC social platform 

What is the biggest setback you have experienced? How did you overcome it?

The loss of my father. Only time lightens it.

If you could only leave people with one message from your summit presentation, what would it be?

CC’s approach will help other sectors of law become more flexible and understandable.

What was the best career advice you ever received? What was the worst career advice you ever received?

The best career advice was given by my dominus who informed me that after having passed the bar exam, I should wait for 15 years before receiving the first recognition of my job. The worst career advice came from a person that told me that my choice of copyright law specialization would not work for me.

What would you like to say to Creative Commons on our 20th anniversary?

I would like to tell Creative Commons that a lot has been achieved so far, and 20 years are an important goal for the consolidation of the entire community. My sincere congratulations.

At the same time, there is still a lot of work to do, and events like the pandemic must be an incentive to increase the commitment devoted to the mission. For example, in the Glam sector, there is the need to provide specific tools for the attribution of public domain materials, and, more in general, we need to harmonize CC licenses with other laws such as privacy and personal data protection. 

What does ‘Better Sharing, Brighter Future’ mean to you?

I think that the meaning is related to the question above “Why are you an advocate for Open?”. I strongly believe that free knowledge and culture are the key to support innovation, transformation and global rebirth.

Only 2 days to go until the 2021 CC Global Summit on September 20-24. Join us as we explore the latest developments in the Open Movement, celebrate 20 years of Creative Commons, and consider what the future of Open holds. Register here >>