Digital Transformation of Copyright Laws and the Misty Indian Perspective

Abstract:     
Copyright laws were never intended to create absolute monopoly. Copyright law has been considered to create equilibrium between the rights of copyright owner to generate a profit for their work and the benefit to society of learning from and building upon their works. The traditional principles of copyright like the 'fair use' doctrine were developed towards this end. With the advent of Information and Communication Technology revolution these traditional principles are losing their relevance. There is a wholesale transformation of copyright laws with the adoption of many layers of protections in the form of technological protection measures and through contract laws in addition to the copyright laws.

Keywords: Fair use, Access right, First sale doctrine, Public domain, Anti-circumvention, WIPO Internet Treaties, Digital Millennium Copyright Act

JEL Classifications: K39, K0

Working Paper Series