MIS 411/511 - Social Issues of the Internet

Before 1900
U.S. copyright law takes shape.

1790
Congress passes first copyright law, with 14-year term for literary works and option to renew for a second 14-year period; law is extended later to protect sheet music (1831), photographs (1865), works of art (1870) and musical performances (1897).

1900s-1960s
Copyright protection extended to new media; invention of photocopier challenges existing view on copyright infringement.

1909
Major revision of Copyright Act extends term to 28 years, with option to renew; provides protection for “piano rolls” as well as phonographs, subject to mandatory licensing provision. Law extended to cover motion pictures in 1912.

1918
Supreme Court rules International News Service guilty of “misappropriation” for republishing Associated Press news.

1960
Xerox Corp. introduces photocopier; copying of copyrighted materials becomes widespread.

1970s
Photocopying issue resolved; home video recording issue surfaces.

1973
Library photocopying of articles ruled legal by U.S. Court of Claims; ruling stands after Supreme Court deadlocks 4-4 in 1975.

1976
Major overhaul of Copyright Act extends term to life of author plus 50 years; codifies “fair use” defense, with four factors specified for consideration; permits library photocopying. Law had been extended earlier to cover sound recordings (1971).

1980s
Movie studios lose battle against home video recording.

1984
Home video recording of movies off broadcast television is ruled by Supreme Court to be legal “fair use.”

1990 to Present
Digital revolution brings rash of disputes between copyright community and Internet advocates.

1992
Audio Home Recording Act permits individual, non-commercial copying of digital audiotapes; act requires royalties on sales of blank tapes and tape decks.

1993
CompuServe is sued by music publishers' group for establishing music bulletin board; settles suit in 1995 with agreement to pay licensing fees in the future.

1997
Movie studios introduce movies on DVD disks, with encryption software to prevent copying. Computer entrepreneur Michael Robertson launches MP3.com.

1998
Digital Millennium Copyright Act prohibits disseminating technology to circumvent software protection on CDs, DVDs and similar products.

May 1999
Shawn Fanning founds Napster.

October 1999
Norwegian teenager Jon Johansen “hacks” DVD encryption software.

Dec. 16, 1999
Record industry sues Napster for copyright infringement.

Jan. 14, 2000
Movie industry sues hacker magazine 2600 for disseminating DVD decryption software; judge issues preliminary injunction on Jan. 20 barring posting of computer code, permanent injunction on Aug. 17.

Jan. 21, 2000
Record companies sue MP3.com for copyright infringement; judge finds service guilty on April 2; imposes damages of $25,000 per disk on Sept. 6; further proceedings set for Nov. 13.

July 26, 2000