Thursday, September 19, 2019
Internet Copyright Laws Essay example -- essays research papers fc
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 â€Å"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... ...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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