DIGITAL MILLENNIUM COPYRIGHT ACT

Technology often outpaces ethical and legal developments. For many years, copyright law remained static as wholesale unauthorized duplication of printed materials was difficult. Fair use rules evolved regarding quoting sections of copyrighted work in other publications, such as for the purposes of criticism, academic work or even parody, and organizations such as the American Society of Composers and Performers (ASCAP) tracked performances of copyrighted material to help ensure that copyright holders received royalties or other appropriate consideration. Photocopiers brought new copyright problems to the forefront, and copy shops began to be concerned with their liability if they photocopied copyrighted material. This problem paled in comparison to the problems brought about by the proliferation of digital technology, however, and the growth of the Internet made it increasingly simple for copyrighted material to be copied and distributed to millions of users around the world. This research considers one attempt to control this technology, the Digital Millen