Copyrights

Read this section. Copyright is another area of intellectual property law that has grown more controversial over the last twenty years, particularly with the increased importance of the Internet in daily life. The Internet has vastly increased the availability of original written and creative material to the general public. For some, this easy access can cause confusion, creating the assumption that such material can be used by any person for any reason. Others have intentionally sought to bypass the protections available to such material. Some see the copyright protections available to creative work to be excessively restrictive; through various efforts, they attempt to promote the availability of creative works through open  licenses. In this section, familiarize yourself with the protections that US law provides to copyright holders. Note also how digital copyright licenses can further restrict the use of digital media. As always, pay attention to the remedies for copyright infringement and the defenses to such a claim. Complete the exercises at the end of the section.