The law of copyright will celebrate its tricentennial in thirteen years time. First introduced in England in 1709 in response to the invention of printing, its history has been one of constant development to keep pace with significant changes in technology. In the 1990s, copyright is more topical than ever. The potential for worldwide distribution of multi-media works over the emerging Global Information Infrastructure is the latest challenge facing the copyright system. This situation has prompted ambitious programmes for copyright reform and harmonisation at national level and within the Berne Union and the European Union. It is timely therefore to reexamine the basic justifications for copyright. The first two legislative texts on copyright, the UK Statute of Anne 1709 and the Copyright Clause of the US Constitution 1787, embodied the concept that providing copyright protection for authors for a limited time would encourage and promote learning and progress and thus act for the public good. The thesis explores the underlying principles governing copyright legislation in the light of the proposition that copyright is a just and proper concept, established and developed in the public interest. In recent years, this proposition has been contested in the context of the challenges to the copyright system posed by technical developments. In this debate, the philosophical basis for copyright and its moral and economic functions have been called into question and the public interest has been invoked, not in favour of improved protection for copyright owners, but in favour of free and unfettered access by the public to copyright works. By reexamining these issues, the thesis aims to contribute to the ongoing debate on public policy in relation to copyright reform and harmonisation.

Copyright law, in general, is a multi-faceted and sometimes difficult to understand process. Although it is law, it is often not straight-forward and cannot be applied universally. While the concepts of copyright infringement and plagiarism may sometimes overlap, many confuse one for the other or think they are the same offense. This thesis is intended to serve as a primer to some basic aspects of copyright law for technical communicators, including issues surrounding public domain works, the fair use doctrine, the copyright clearance process, as well as why we should be concerned about our current copyright laws. Over the past few decades, Congress has increased the number of copyright extensions, and these extensions are pushing out works that were to expire into the public domain. This thesis provides details about the growing copyright reform movement to explore the possibilities of making our culture more egalitarian and democratic when it comes to the exchange of ideas and information. Those who support copyright reform believe current copyright laws increasingly favor corporations and special interest groups rather than the public, and insist on a balance in copyright laws to loosen some of the restrictions. This thesis illustrates the importance of the knowledge of copyright and its associated laws for technical communicators especially in these current times. With the growth of the Internet within the last 20 years, some of the core concepts of how copyright works for the analog age present some challenges when translated into our digital age. Young professionals - particularly those working in web-based media - are faced with some contradicting ideas on copyright, sharing, and piracy, especially when surrounded by peers who perpetuate incorrect notions about these topics. Technical communicators also need to be aware of the risks they run if they choose to ignore the law (or choose to remain ignorant of it), but, on a deeper level, they also need be prepared to deal with the philosophical and ethical inquiries that tie into the concept of copyright. This thesis also provides practical applications of the knowledge of copyright laws for technical communicators.

CHARLES UNIVERSITY IN PRAGUE Faculty of Law Institute of Copyright, Industrial Property Rights and Competition Law DOCTORAL DISSERTATION The Evolution and the Limits of the Copyright Protection in the Global Information Society ABSTRACT Author: Mgr. Alena Andruško Supervisor: Prof. JUDr. Dr. iur. h. c. Jan Kříž, CSc. Field of Study: Civil Law Theoretical Legal Science Year: 2015 ABSTRACT Copyright law is one of the branches of law that has become, with the development of the Internet, the center of interest for different types of stakeholders in the global information society. With the evolution of "Web 2.0", sometimes called the "Participative Web", represented by user-generated content (UGC), and also with the evolution of peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing and recently cyberlockers, the effectiveness of copyright protection online has become a problem where solutions can be found only with difficulty. Online copyright infringement is a complex phenomenon with a multiplicity of contributing factors. To see and understand these factors one must not only know and understand the territorial and international legal rules governing copyright, but also know and understand the online ecosystem in which copyright infringement takes place, which is impossible without knowing the history, evolution and technical...

Copyright law is a special category of civil law which, with the upswing of the Internet, has become important for different types of stakeholders in the global information society. The 'participative web' operates with content generated by users. This user-generated content has often disputable origins in terms of copyright clearance. The Internet has opened the possibility for developing new forms of communication between anonymous or individual users who are not easily identifiable. Especially peer-to-peer file sharing and recently the information services offered and operated by the so-called 'cyberlockers' are the reason of questioning the role of copyright protection online which needs a beneficial solution. Copyright infringement in the era of information society is a complex phenomenon with a multiplicity of contributing factors like the importance of information data with big business potential, personal attitudes shown by internet users towards the value and scarcity of intellectual property, or legal responsibility of internet service providers (ISP) who paradoxically act from the safety of the so-called safe harbours as intermediaries of information exchange, representing a new element in the communication chain between rights holders and users. Commercial and business models operating...