Cultivate Public Lecture: Web 2.0 & The Copyright Debate
Today, we can share every Youtube-video, any Picasa-webalbum, all blog- or newsitems with our Facebook friends groups or Google+ contacts by just linking and ‘liking’ these media messages. Rather than being created through more traditional means by institutions such as magazines, newspapers or broadcasting organizations, these items are created online by our peers. This exchange of ‘user-generated content’ forms the basis of what is often referred to as web 2.0. Copyright is an issue here.
Copyrighted material is often used by, derived from and shared through web 2.0-platforms without the consent and permission of the right holder: music and video are remixed and uploaded to Youtube, books and other literary works are scanned, amended and reused online and software is shared by using peer-to-peer software or in newsgroups.
Copyright aims to stimulate intellectual creativity and innovation by rewarding creators of ‘products of the mind’ with a temporary monopoly on the exploitation of their creative works. At the same time, a system of exceptions to this exclusive right for purposes of scientific research, private study, activities of public libraries and archives ensures access to copyrighted materials for public interest purposes.
The debate on the role of copyright law in the “ knowledge economy” demonstrates that copyright is under duress. Creators complain that they are not paid sufficiently for their work, and there is no adequate system of organizing a fair market for their work. Could it be that copyright no longer works? Do we need to adapt our views on the system of copyright?
On 29 October, Prof. dr. Madeleine de Cock Buning shall give a public lecture on recent Web 2.0-developments and the debate on copyright law and its contribution to innovation and creativity in EU-Member States. Time and location: 17.00 – 18.00, LLOYD Hotel, Amsterdam
