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Intellectual PropertyOverview Intellectual property, freedom of information, and copyright issues are all intertwined in the fast-paced information revolution. This “revolution” has been due, in part, to the proliferation of PCs and Internet access in the home. Copyright and intellectual property laws affect software, books, music, video, and graphics. These laws are struggling to keep up with today’s rapidly changing media environment. P2P (peer-to-peer) networks further complicate the issue by allowing anyone to share files with a whole population of users. Intellectual property is a fiery topic with strong opinions and solid arguments on both sides. General Information Intellectual property (IP) attempts to place ownership on ideas, creativity, and innovation in much the same way that physical property is owned. Copyright law helps to protect intellectual property by controlling the distribution of owned intellectual material such as software, art, music, and film. Read more about intellectual property, copyright, patents, and trademarks at www.intellectual-property.gov.uk. The Free Music Philosophy, in the article “A Primer on the Ethics of “Intellectual Property””, presents a completely different perspective on the intellectual property issue. General IP information can be found by visiting this Open Directory Project page. Additionally, one of the more prominent intellectual property organizations, the World Intellectual Property Organization, offers a site that’s full of IP information and services. Intellectual Property and Copyright Resources The Internet has many intellectual property and copyright resources. Current news articles regarding IP and copyright law can be found at the IP Menu- The Home of Intellectual Property on the Internet. Another excellent IP and copyright resource is “The Working Group on Intellectual Property Rights” at www.uspto.gov/web/offices/com/doc/ipnii. Here you can read about this organization, search a database of FAQs, and find out about upcoming events. The sunsite.berkeley.edu/Copyright site provides links to IP and copyright sites across the Internet. IP FAQs, documentation, legislation, conventions, and other resources are available at palimpsest.stanford.edu/bytopic/intprop. Also be sure to visit www.arl.org/info/frn/copy/copytoc.html for articles and links to copyright and IP legislation at the federal level. Intellectual Property, Copyright, and P2P Networking Issues Many media companies, such as the music recording industry, are scrambling to cope with the rapid changes brought about by the Internet. For example, P2P technology allows anyone with the right software and an Internet connection to share all of the files they wish. Policing this activity has become more and more difficult. Since music files are the most frequently swapped type of copyrighted files on P2P networks, music copyright issues are the most prominent example of the differing opinions about intellectual property. Visit any of the following pages to read about music copyright issues including the Napster case and modern P2P networks.
30 countries, including the United States, have ratified an international treaty designed to protect copyright holders in the computer age. Learn much more about this groundbreaking event by reading this InfoWorld article. Additional Links Some people might go so far as to declare intellectual property as fraudulent. For a better perspective of this point of view, read either the article “The Fraud of “Intellectual Property”" by Jeremy Sapienza or “Intellectual Property is an Oxymoron” by Rob Landley. Whether or not you agree with these opinions, some valid points are expressed in both articles.
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