Legislation introduced in Congress last month (the "Combating Online Infringement and Counterfeits Act") would take an aggressive and needed stand against online piracy, a growing problem that hurts American consumers and costs Americans jobs. Critics of the legislation argue that this bill would hurt free speech, encourage censorship in foreign…

Discusses work being done in the House on a modified version of a Senate copyright revision bill, which includes the key issue of library photocopying. (MLH)

Discusses recent developments in Congressional legislation pertaining to science and technology, particularly in relation to the chemical industry. (MLH)

This report accompanies H.R. 897, the Copyright Reform Act of 1993. The bill, intended to amend title 17, United States Code, to modify certain recordation and registration requirements, to establish copyright arbitration royalty panels to replace the Copyright Royalty Tribunal, and for other purposes, is favorably reported by the Committee on the…

This paper briefly summarizes the Copyright Act recently passed by the United States Congress as it relates to graphic arts and points out that the law ignores the major problem facing that field: the lack of copyright protection for typography and typeface designs. It then explains the reasoning used for denying protection to typography and…

The history of copyright law in the United States since 1909 is outlined, with emphasis on educational television's unique position and concerns. The problems which ETV raises are illuminated by an account of the proceedings in the House of Representatives and in the Senate on a 1965 bill dealing with copyright law revision. (LS)

A survey was commissioned to establish a baseline on the present modes of legal protection employed by the computer software industry. Questionnaires were distributed to 308 member companies of the Association of Data Processing Service Organizations (ADAPSO), and 116 responses were returned. Results indicated that (1) business executives…

This hearing was called to consider two bills that would amend the section of the United States Code relating to fair use, to clarify that such section applies to both published and unpublished copyrighted works. Recent judicial developments are reviewed which suggest that the fair use doctrine does not apply to the subsequent uses of unpublished…

Discusses the views of educators, librarians, and publishers concerning the library photocopying provision of a copyright bill pending before the House of Representatives. Objections have been raised against a section which prohibits concerted reproduction of multiple copies of a work and systematic copying and distribution of single or multiple…

The issue of library photocopying of copyrighted materials is examined from a historical perspective and with reference to proposed legislative revisions including the establishment of a compulsory licensing for reproduction. The author proposes that publishers be awarded compensation from the federal government for granting educational use of…

In February 1993, the Information Infrastructure Task Force (IITF) was formed to articulate and implement the Clinton Administration's vision for the National Information Infrastructure (NII). The Working Group on Intellectual Property Rights was established within the Information Policy Committee to examine the intellectual property implications…

A question that now confronts producers, distributors, and consumers of information, as well as the manufacturers of information technology and the government is: what is the nature of copyright protection in the Information Age? Congress has a Constitutional mandate to protect the rights of innovators but has refused to act in the case of…

Intended as a reference to assist city and county attorneys, leading cases are presented detailing essential legal issues pertaining to cable television. These cases relate to broadcast decisions, common carrier decisions involving microwave and telephone companies, and cable decisions involving Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and local…

Arguments presented against securing computer programs by copyright are centered on the question of whether computer programs qualify under the U.S. Constitutional meaning as "works of authorship," which may be protected by copyright. The possibility that the protection of computer programs by copyright might have an undesirable impact…