On May 16, 2013, the House Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property and the Internet (part of the Judiciary Committee) held a hearing on beginning the process of revising the Copyright Act. Last revised in 1976 before the Internet or desktop computers were a part of our everyday lives, the Copyright Act has been revised in a piecemeal fashion since then. The hearing discussed the recommendations of the 2010 Copyright Principles Project (“CPP”), which included a group of academic and private sector copyright practitioners.
The CPP made two overall recommendations that would alter the way copyright law is practiced. First, the CPP recommended that the registration process be modified to encourage more registration so that the public will have better information on the ownership of copyrighted works. Today, the vast majority of copyrights are not registered. Second, the CPP recommended that the Copyright Office certify other private and public entities as copyright registrars. This would further encourage copyright registration.
Given the stakes involved, the road to copyright reform will be long and hard-fought.
The CPP made two overall recommendations that would alter the way copyright law is practiced. First, the CPP recommended that the registration process be modified to encourage more registration so that the public will have better information on the ownership of copyrighted works. Today, the vast majority of copyrights are not registered. Second, the CPP recommended that the Copyright Office certify other private and public entities as copyright registrars. This would further encourage copyright registration.
Given the stakes involved, the road to copyright reform will be long and hard-fought.
RSS Feed