In today’s ever-accelerating world, we constantly find ourselves in a whirlwind of vague and complicated legal issues. Several of these relate specifically to something we encounter every time we listen to a song, look at a photograph, or read a book⎯copyrights. It appears that all these new controversies over copyrights and copyright infringement may be exaggerated or irrelevant. However, these issues pertaining copyright are neither irrelevant nor exaggerated, although this excessive attention constantly being drawn to it is certainly worth noting. The fact that copyrights are creating such an upheaval should not be attributed to over exaggeration. Instead, we must see this as a sign that copyrights as they are currently being maintained are in need of inspection and perhaps revision. Our excessive emphasis on claiming something as our property has caused copyright to act counter to its initial purpose.
In order to best understand what the initial intention of copyrights was, it is necessary to look to where it is first expressed in our society. As it turns out, copyrights have been in place in our society since the crafting of the Constitution. Although there were several views as go how to best implement it, ultimately it was Thomas Jefferson’s notion of copyright that was most clearly incorporated into the Constitution. In it, it “…gives Congress the authority to ‘promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries’” (Lethem 63). This inclusion of a copyright for authors and inventors had a clear purpose⎯to create an incentive for the mass of typically ordinary people to create and innovate. By securing a pa...
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The purpose of this paper is to give a brief chronological accounting of the writing of the Declaration of Independence by Thomas Jefferson. A short description of the structure of the Declaration of Independence will be included. The process was relatively fast, from the formation of the committee.
Jefferson, Thomas. "The Declaration of Independence." The McGraw-Hill Reader: Issues Across the Disciplines. 8th edition, Ed. Gilbert H. Muller. New York: McGraw Hill, 2003. 305-308.
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Over the past decade the societal view of creative society has greatly changed due to advances in computer technology and the Internet. In 1995, aware of the beginning of this change, two authors wrote articles in Wired Magazine expressing diametrically opposed views on how this technological change would take form, and how it would affect copyright law. In the article "The Emperor's Clothes Still Fit Just Fine" Lance Rose hypothesized that the criminal nature of copyright infringement would prevent it from developing into a socially acceptable practice. Thus, he wrote, we would not need to revise copyright law to prevent copyright infringement. In another article, Entitled "Intellectual Value", Esther Dyson presented a completely different view of the copyright issue. She based many her arguments on the belief that mainstream copyright infringement would proliferate in the following years, causing a radical revision of American ideas and laws towards intellectual property. What has happened since then? Who was right? This paper analyzes the situation then and now, with the knowledge that these trends are still in a state of transformation. As new software and hardware innovations make it easier to create, copy, alter, and disseminate original digital content, this discussion will be come even more critical.
However, the author 's interpretations of Jefferson 's decisions and their connection to modern politics are intriguing, to say the least. In 1774, Jefferson penned A Summary View of the Rights of British America and, later, in 1775, drafted the Declaration of the Causes and Necessity of Taking Up Arms (Ellis 32-44). According to Ellis, the documents act as proof that Jefferson was insensitive to the constitutional complexities a Revolution held as his interpretation of otherwise important matters revolved around his “pattern of juvenile romanticism” (38). Evidently, the American colonies’ desire for independence from the mother country was a momentous decision that affected all thirteen colonies. However, in Ellis’ arguments, Thomas Jefferson’s writing at the time showed either his failure to acknowledge the severity of the situation or his disregard of the same. Accordingly, as written in the American Sphinx, Jefferson’s mannerisms in the first Continental Congress and Virginia evokes the picture of an adolescent instead of the thirty-year-old man he was at the time (Ellis 38). It is no wonder Ellis observes Thomas Jefferson as a founding father who was not only “wildly idealistic” but also possessed “extraordinary naivete” while advocating the notions of a Jeffersonian utopia that unrestrained
DiBacco, Thomas V., Lorna C. Mason, and Christian G. Appy. History of The United States. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1995.
“Copyright is a fundamental right of ownership and protection common to all of the arts” (O’Hara & Beard, 2006, p. 8). “It is a form of intellectual Property (IP)” and it gives the owner exclusive rights to the copyright (O’Hara & Beard, 2006, p. 11).
The Statute of Anne (the first modern form of copyright law) was introduced after the printing press was invented. Before this time, books would have to be hand written and for this reason they were ve...
...entertainment industry is saying that intellectual property is just as real as physical property. The digital age faces a true balancing act a digital dilemma if you will- the right to freedom of expression while protecting intellectual property.
Music Copyright is a very important aspect of the music industry. The Copyright law was established to preserve the creativity and rights of authors, composers, performers of expression. Copyright is the law that protects the property rights of the creator of an original work in a fixed tangible medium. (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/copyright) A fixed tangible medium is something substantial like copying lyrics on paper or putting a song on tape or CD. Copyright can be seen every where in the music industry. Many music artist of our culture today have been involved in copyright issues. Recently, on MTV news it was stated that, "As the music industry becomes increasingly concerned about protecting the integrity of artists copyrights in the age of MP3. Prince has now filed a motion in New York federal court aimed at shutting down several websites offering free downloads of the Artist's songs." (http://www.mtv.com…19990304/prince.jhtml) In addition, in recent music news, "Nine Inch Nails lead man Trent Reznor copyright infringement suit was dismissed. Another artist claimed that the Reznor had stolen material for his last album." (http://www.mtv.com…19991202/nine_inch_nails.jhtml) The copyright law has become an important legal aspect to know our music generation.
Copyright, piracy, intellectual property and professional codes of ethics are critical subjects for computer and business professionals. This paper will first explain copyright laws and intellectual property. Second, an explanation concerning piracy will be submitted. Finally, a description of my own professional code of ethics will be presented.
Plagarism and Copyright are sources of great controversy in society. With modern copyright laws disputes can be unfairly settled. Modern copyright law in the United States has been modified many times since its inclusion in the Constitution in 1776. The most recent change was in 1998 in which the copyrighted work would be protected for the length of the authors life and seventy years after wards1. For example, If a 25 year old person publishes a book in 2005. That book is protected under copyright for the rest of that persons life (an estimated 65 more years) plus 70 years afterward. This extension of protection is good for people whose works have taken a while to make money. So even if this book takes ten years to actually turn a profit. The profit will still be the authors and no one can make a more popular version of their book. However is this a means to help struggling authors or a means for companies to make more money? How did copyright get so out of control? And what does it mean for creators now with the internet age?