AOL Shuts Down Big Book Web Site

Dateline: 08/25/99

Under the threat of legal action by attorneys for Alcoholics Anonymous, American On Line's German subsidiary has shut down a Big Book Study Group's web site and email access.

The web site was operated by the same group that has been the target of lawsuits initiated by Alcoholics Anonymous to prohibit them from distributing printed German translations of the book, Alcoholics Anonymous, free to members and potential members of the 12-step support group.

This latest action was initiated by Frieder Roth, attorney for Anonymous Alcoholics Interest Society, Inc., of Munich -- the General Service Office (GSO) for Germany -- in a letter written to AOL Bertlsmann Online, Ltd. & Co. (German AOL). The letter demands that AOL remove the web site from its server.

Roth clearly states in that letter that his clients "are empowered by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc. (AAWS) in New York" to take action against the A.A. study group.

The Controversy

Ironically, the action taken by AOL and the German GSO only proved to be a temporary inconvenience. The group already hasa new web site where it is once again offering a web version and downloadable version of the German translation.

The controversy swirling around these legal moves in Germany involves multiple issues, including the legality of the copyright to the Big Book, the traditions of the Alcoholics Anonymous program advising against ownership of property, as well as the suggestion of no "punitive" action being taken against any member who might violate those traditions.

Although it has never been tested in a court of law, there are legal opinions on record indicating that there never was a copyright on the book and if there was, it was not renewed in a timely fashion. There are other web sites on the Internet that feature complete text of the book as well as downloadable versions.

These web sites are maintained by webmasters who live in the United States, where it would probably be inadvisable for AAWS to launch a legal attack based on its alleged copyright privileges.

The Traditions

On one of those web sites it states, "Permission to reproduce the Big Book's Third Edition introduction has been applied for. The other material is not covered by copyright laws because AA forgot to renew the copyright."

The issue concerning the publishing of copyrighted Conference Approved Literature (CAL) on the WWW is not limited to the A.A. program. In recent months, Al-Anon Family Groups, Inc. sent representatives of all known online Al-Anon groups a standard form to use to request permission to use portions of CAL online.

When these representatives submit the request for permission they receive in return a license which allows the group to use only one paragraph of copyrighted CAL in any meeting, and only if the publication, page number, and Al-Anon name and address is affixed.

Primary Purpose?

But the heart of the matter for many members of the fellowship comes down to the question, "What is the primary purpose here?" Is the primary purpose of having literature to carry the message of hope and help to those who are still suffering? Or is the primary purpose to make money for the respective world service organizations?

Both Alcoholics Anonymous World Service and Al-Anon Family Groups World Service Organization have grown to depend more and more on the sale of literature to survive, rather than from the voluntary contributions of members. In fact, the profit from the sale of literature accounted for 68 percent of Al-Anon's total budget last year.

But should the protection of the copyrights to these printed materials be so strenuous that it actually prohibits them in some cases from being used to help people? For a further discussion of these issues, please see Mitchell K's commentary on the latest developments.

We would like to hear your opinions on these issues also. Please join in the discussion of this article on our Forum bulletin board here at the Alcoholism site at About.com.