Intellectual Property Law Commons^™

The Music Industry's Failed Attempt To Influence File Sharing Norms, Steven A. Hetcher

Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law

Digitization and related technologies such as file-sharing software and wireless communications are revolutionizing how intellectual content is distributed and consumed. At the same time, the ways in which consumers have chosen to use this technology are challenging how characteristics of intellectual property ownership are defined. Some of the important rights promised to owners under the Copyright Act may begin to appear as little more than formal guarantees if the explosive trend toward unauthorized copying continues to expand. As a result, the content industry has viewed the ever-expanding footprint of digital media as a mixed blessing. While this technology promises vastly …