Discussion With Reference To The Copyright Laws Of At Least Two Countries Evaluate The Extent To Which Changes To The Law Have Taken Place As A Result Of Technological Change

Seminar paper from the year 2004 in the subject Law - Media, Multimedia Law, Copyright, grade: First, distinction, University of Wales, Aberystwyth (Law Faculty), course: Seminar: International Copyright Law, 24 entries in the bibliography, language: English, abstract: This paper tries to examine the impact of technological change and thus asks, in how far copyright laws have developed as a direct answer to technological inventions and which other factors supported or delayed its development. After a short presentation of the concept of copyright, it is argued that worldwide technological change was and still is one of the most important factors influencing the development of copyright laws. However, it is also shown that this impact has not always been the same. This paper identifies four distinguishable 'epochs' which reflect different impacts of technology on the development of copyright law and it can be seen that basically the following 'epochs' can be found in various jurisdictions: 1. from 1445-1500 technological change was the initial drive for copyright law; 2. from 1500-1700 the stabilisation of political power through censorship determined copyright law; 3. from 1700-1886 technological progress is again in the centre of copyright developments and 4. from 1886-today technological progress is still highly influential, but the aim of international uniformity and economic considerations are of equally strong influence. Having a closer look on these four 'epochs', it is also shown that they cannot be seen as fixed, as not all countries fit nicely into this scheme.

Over the course of several decades, copyright protection has been expanded and extended through legislative changes occasioned by national and international developments. The content and technology industries affected by copyright and its exceptions, and in some cases balancing the two, have become increasingly important as sources of economic growth, relatively high-paying jobs, and exports. Since the expansion of digital technology in the mid-1990s, they have undergone a technological revolution that has disrupted long-established modes of creating, distributing, and using works ranging from literature and news to film and music to scientific publications and computer software. In the United States and internationally, these disruptive changes have given rise to a strident debate over copyright's proper scope and terms and means of its enforcement-a debate between those who believe the digital revolution is progressively undermining the copyright protection essential to encourage the funding, creation, and distribution of new works and those who believe that enhancements to copyright are inhibiting technological innovation and free expression. Copyright in the Digital Era: Building Evidence for Policy examines a range of questions regarding copyright policy by using a variety of methods, such as case studies, international and sectoral comparisons, and experiments and surveys. This report is especially critical in light of digital age developments that may, for example, change the incentive calculus for various actors in the copyright system, impact the costs of voluntary copyright transactions, pose new enforcement challenges, and change the optimal balance between copyright protection and exceptions.

This booklet is intended to provide an introduction for non-specialists or new-comers to the subject of copyright and related rights. It explains in layman's terms the fundamentals underpinning copyright law and practice. It describes the different types of rights which copyright and related rights law protects, as well as the limitations on those rights. And finally it briefly covers transfer of copyright and provisions for enforcement.

The Congressional Record is the official record of the proceedings and debates of the United States Congress. It is published daily when Congress is in session. The Congressional Record began publication in 1873. Debates for sessions prior to 1873 are recorded in The Debates and Proceedings in the Congress of the United States (1789-1824), the Register of Debates in Congress (1824-1837), and the Congressional Globe (1833-1873)

The technological revolution has reached around the world, with important consequences for business, government, and the labor market. Computer-aided design, telecommunications, and other developments are allowing small players to compete with traditional giants in manufacturing and other fields. In this volume, 16 engineering and industrial experts representing eight countries discuss the growth of technological advances and their impact on specific industries and regions of the world. From various perspectives, these distinguished commentators describe the practical aspects of technology's reach into business and trade.

World-renowned economist Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum, explains that we have an opportunity to shape the fourth industrial revolu­tion, which will fundamentally alter how we live and work. Schwab argues that this revolution is different in scale, scope and complexity from any that have come before. Characterized by a range of new technologies that are fusing the physical, digital and biological worlds, the developments are affecting all disciplines, economies, industries and governments, and even challenging ideas about what it means to be human. Artificial intelligence is already all around us, from supercomputers, drones and virtual assistants to 3D printing, DNA sequencing, smart thermostats, wear­able sensors and microchips smaller than a grain of sand. But this is just the beginning: nanomaterials 200 times stronger than steel and a million times thinner than a strand of hair and the first transplant of a 3D printed liver are already in development. Imagine “smart factories” in which global systems of manu­facturing are coordinated virtually, or implantable mobile phones made of biosynthetic materials. The fourth industrial revolution, says Schwab, is more significant, and its ramifications more profound, than in any prior period of human history. He outlines the key technologies driving this revolution and discusses the major impacts expected on government, business, civil society and individu­als. Schwab also offers bold ideas on how to harness these changes and shape a better future—one in which technology empowers people rather than replaces them; progress serves society rather than disrupts it; and in which innovators respect moral and ethical boundaries rather than cross them. We all have the opportunity to contribute to developing new frame­works that advance progress.

The Law of Journalism and Mass Communication, Sixth Edition, by Robert Trager, Susan Dente Ross, and Amy Reynolds offers a clear and engaging introduction to media law with comprehensive coverage and analysis of key cases for future journalists and media professionals. You are introduced to key legal issues at the start of each chapter, building your critical thinking skills before progressing to real-world landmark cases that demonstrate how media law is applied today. Contemporary examples, emerging legal topics, international issues, and cutting-edge research all help you to retain and apply principles of media law in practice. The thoroughly revised Sixth Edition has been reorganized and shortened to 12 chapters, streamlining the content and offering instructors more opportunities for classroom activities. This edition also goes beyond the judiciary—including discussions of tweets and public protests, alcohol ads in university newspapers, global data privacy and cybersecurity, libel on the internet, and free speech on college campuses—to show how the law affects the ways mass communication works and how people perceive and receive that work.