Internet Copyright Laws
A student comes home to his dorm at the University of Scranton after a rough day
of classes. With the quick internet connection provided on the school’s network, the
student makes a few clicks and logs into Morpheus, a program that enables music fans to
download free music. Within a few minutes he is on his way to owning an unlimited
amount of songs at no cost. Everything this student is doing is legal, right? Wrong. The
downloaded music from the internet is copyrighted material.
Today’s internet is considered an “information superhighway,” a device where
anything from music, books, programs and information can be shared worldwide. Since
billions of people have the ability to access the internet, the content of the internet can be
difficult to regulate. One controversy which has risen because people can transmit and
share information broadly via the internet is that of copyright infringement. Arguments
over the rights to property on the internet have been heated. For example, Napster
(similar to Morpheus) was sued for providing software that enabled internet users to
download music at no cost. Since the internet is a device that is used worldwide,
copyright laws should exist to protect people who own copyrights so their civil liberties
are not infringed upon.
Because the internet is sometimes considered unregulated, users often assume that
the law does not apply to its use. Widespread misuse of people’s intellectual property via
the internet occurs because of this belief, though anyone can access the internet. Since the
number of people who have the ability to access the internet is so high, laws that are
made to protect people’s publications in other media should also apply to protect them on
the internet.
Copyrights that protect products can sometimes be confusing to understand. The
simplest way to identify copyright infringement is to question if the copyright is handed
over with the product. For example, if a person owns a compact disc and lets a friend
borrow it, the compact disc i...
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...material is under copyright laws.
However, while in court, it was thought the publications could be of public domain. The
courts decided that the information was not an infringement and returned the confiscated
property to Wollershiem and Penny.
Copyright laws exist to protect the ownership of material. Where the material is
located should not void the copyright. If copying property is for personal use, than a
problem should not exist. If a person starts to make money or distribute the copied
material, then a problem with copyright laws will arise. In this case, the provider of the
material will be at fault.
With the arrival of the electronic age, the internet will be another place where
copyright laws are needed, and must be enforced; The internet cannot be free and
unregulated. Whether it is a tape in a stereo, or a religious hoax on the internet, copyright
laws must exist and be upheld to protect individuals from infringement of their property
rights.
Bibliography:
Knowledge and Identity in the Electronic Age. Richard Fearer; McGraw-Hill, 1998. 124 131.
Who owns digital works. Scientific American Publication. Ann Okerson; October 13, 2002. 37-41.
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