Reflection: Copyright

March 29th class

What I liked:  Our march 15th class very briefly touched on disruptive technology and copyright infringement.  I'm interested in issues surrounding copyrights so I used that as a basis for last weeks argument.  Needless to say, I was excited to see that copyright was the main focus for this weeks class.  As an information professional and a consumer of entertainment, I'm interested in how the digital age is affecting copyright and copyright infringement.  It's important for those of us in the information profession to understand the somewhat complex, sometimes ambiguous subjects of copyright and fair use, not only for ourselves, but for those that we serve.

What I agree with:  I agree that we need copyrights.  I've encountered some who argue that we don't need copyright protections, that they only serve corporate interests, and even go so far as to say copyright is evil.  That's certainly an extreme position, but it is an indicator of the growing dissatisfaction with current copyright laws.  Copyright originated as a way to promote the creation of new works by allowing creators to profit from creating.  I believe it still serves this purpose.

What I disagree with:  I don't necessarily think copyright law is perfect.  It should adjust to meet the needs of society.  That happens for the most part.  Copyright laws are created and amended on a somewhat regular basis.  One trend that I'm cautious of, however, is the extension of the life of copyrights.  The original length of copyright was 14 years in 1787, but it been extended several times throughout history to its current length of 70 years after the death of the author.  If the trend continues, it's not hard to believe that eventually copyright will be extended indefinitely.  I think there is a point in which extending the life of copyright no longer serves the purpose of encouraging the creation of new works.

What I'm still curious about: The future is a mystery to me.  We are at the beginning of the digital age, and no doubt there will be sweeping changes in the future.  Will we still need copyright in the future? Will it continue to be extended?  Can/will copyright be reformed or will we have some other mechanism to encourage creation?  I don't know.  It seems that so much of the future relies on the technologies that will be available.