Introduction to Readings

This week's readings pick up from the discussion ebooks and of different kinds of information "content provider" discussed last week. In class I will be demonstrating a couple of systems, including the electronic audiobook service Audible.com and a couple of kinds of ebook.

Discussion Questions

1) Why are copyright holders such as publishers, record labels and movie studios so worried about digital copyright issues? I'm thinking specifically here about some technological trends, many of them covered in the Wired acticle.

2) One of the main points coming out of these readings is the difference between the rights you enjoy over a conventional copyrighted work you purchase (such as a book or CD) and the rights you might enjoy over an electronic version protected by a digital rights management system.

a) Part of the reason for this is legal. Copyright covers the making of copies. Why does this apply differently to physical media (like a book) from electronic media (like an eBook)?
b) Part of the reason has to do with practical enforcement. What mechanisms can digital rights management systems use, and how are these different from those available with physical media.

3) What are the advantages and disadvantages of a digital subscription based service for music or videos versus a system where you purchase specific works and can then do whatever you want with them? Would you consider a subscription service?

Additional Resources

•  Lawrence Lessig is one of the most active and perceptive scholars on the topic of copyright and electronic systems, and has a well developed blog and website at www.lessig.com
•  Slate published a nice article on the failure of geeks to organize effective political action. http://www.slate.com/id/2074569
• The American Libraries Association has a short and accurate guide to some of the provisions of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. http://www.ala.org/ala/washoff/WOissues/copyrightb/dmca/dmcadigitalmillenium.htm

Page copyright Thomas Haigh -- email thaigh@acm.org.    Home: www.tomandmaria.com/tom. Updated 10/27/2004.