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Copyright Reform For The Digital Age

Gigi Sohn, the president of Public Knowledge, a lobby group advocating free speech and the fair use of copyright, this week proposed a six-step plan to reform copyright laws that technology advocates feel are outdated and harm innovation.

At the top of Sohn's list is expanding the scope of incidental and non-commercial fair-use. She says the 1984 Betamax decision that gives users the right to record materials for personal use should become a law covering all digital media; the idea is to limit the number of "spurious" lawsuits handed out by big media for unauthorized use of their content. Sohn also suggested reform for the Digital Millennium Copyright Act--the foundation on which many a user-generated content site is built--saying that limitations are needed to contain the number of frivolous takedown notices, while consumers deserve to see in clear language exactly what their rights are in terms of uploading, using and distributing content.

Digital radio is another area badly in need of reform. Sohn said the music industry suffers from a "Byzantine" licensing system that favors traditional broadcasters thanks to a "solely historical accident." She said the playing field must be leveled to make way for digital innovation in radio.

Read the whole story at Ars Technica »

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