The legal concept of "copyright" was first ratified by the United Kingdom's Statute of Anne of 1709. As room was not made for the unauthorized reproduction of copyrighted content within this newly formulated statutory right, the courts gradually created a doctrine of "fair abridgement", which later became "fair use", that recognized the utility of such actions. The doctrine . . .
What Is Fair Use?
We've heard of talk of fair use in the context of downloading, sharing and performing of copyrighted works. What's it all about? How are ordinary consumers affected? It's good if we know our rights as consumers, and it's also good for creators of content, art or music to acknowledge fair use. Fair use is a doctrine in United States copyright law that allows limited use of . . .
From the Archives: Harvard Professor: Downloading Fair Use
Peer to peer downloading is BIG. We all know that. Music companies know that. Video companies know that as well. Yet is the activity really criminal? It is really worth pursuing a p2p downloader in court? This is what is happening today, and the case of Joel Tenenbaum, the 25-year-old American facing charges from Sony BMG and other, is a perfect example. Tenenbaum is . . .