Future Knowledge The Copyright Wars
Jun 4, 2025
Historian Peter Baldwin, a UCLA professor and author of The Copyright Wars, joins copyright scholar Pamela Samuelson to delve into 300 years of copyright conflicts. They explore the evolution of copyright laws, contrasting European and U.S. practices, and discuss the implications of Google Books and DMCA safe harbors. The conversation also touches on open access challenges in academia, the complexities of digital lending, and the evolving role of libraries in a digital landscape. A fascinating journey through the battles over intellectual property!
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Copyright's Two-Faced Purpose
- Copyright balances creator rewards with eventual public-domain access and has shifted from short, narrow protection to life-plus-70 and broad scope.
- This expansion created tensions between protecting creators and preserving public access over centuries.
Two Historical Copyright Traditions
- Continental Europe developed an author's-rights tradition granting long, broad protections based on natural law claims by creators.
- Anglo-Saxon copyright emphasized the public's interest and limited, state-granted monopolies that revert to the public domain.
19th-Century U.S. Bootlegging Example
- In the 19th century the U.S. refused foreign authors' copyrights, enabling cheap American editions and wide public access.
- The U.S. only granted foreign protection once American authors experienced piracy abroad and interests shifted.