The Center for Internet and Society at Stanford Law School is a leader in the study of the law and policy around the Internet and other emerging technologies.
A healthy copyright system must balance the need to provide strong economic incentives through exclusive rights with the need to protect important public interests like free speech and expression. Fair use is foundational to that balance. It's role is to prevent copyright from stifling the creativity it is supposed to foster, and from imposing other burdens that would inhibit rather than promote the creation and spread of knowledge and learning.
The Fair Use Project (FUP) was founded in 2006 to provide legal support to a range of projects designed to clarify, and extend, the boundaries of fair use in order to enhance creative freedom and protect important public rights. It is the only organization in the country dedicated specifically to providing free and comprehensive legal representation to authors, filmmakers, artists, musicians and other content creators who face unmerited copyright claims, or other improper restrictions on their expressive interests. The FUP has litigated important cases across the country, and in the Supreme Court of the United States, and worked with scores of filmmakers and other content creators to secure the unimpeded release of their work.
By Center for Internet and Society • October 9, 2012 at 8:53 am
We are happy to announce the new 2012-2014 CIS Affiliates. The new affiliates are the following: Read more » about CIS Affiliates 2012-2014 Announced
By Jennifer Granick • August 7, 2012 at 9:54 am
Last week, the U.S. Department of Justice's (DOJ) criminal prosecution of British citizen Richard O'Dwyer for operating a site called TVShack hit what ought to be a major stumbling block. TVShack allows users to link to other computer servers that host television shows and movies. Clicking on the link will allow the user to watch those videos from those sites in a frame on TVShack. Read more » about TVShack Extradition Case Tumbling as Seventh Circuit Holds Linking/Streaming is Lawful
By Daniel Nazer • July 19, 2012 at 4:44 pm
Once again, political campaign videos are being censored by copyright law. This time, Mitt Romney is the victim. Read more » about How Copyright Law Censors Campaigns
By Zohar Efroni • June 29, 2012 at 7:39 am
Anyone who has ever attended law school in the United States knows what legal clinics are about. In recent years, clinical work with students in law school settings has been gaining momentum worldwide. Law faculties in Europe, Southeast Asia, South America, Africa, India, Japan and Israel (to name a few) already incorporate clinical activities within the fabric of their more traditional curriculum. Some observers even speak of the emergence of a global movement. And yet, there is still a lot of work to be done. Even in Europe, some folks would assume that “legal clinics” are places where sick laws are being admitted to find cure to their maladies… In Germany, where I currently practice and teach, none of the few clinics around focuses on technology or Internet law. Read more » about The Humboldt Internet Law Clinic Launched
A joint conference of the Media Law Resource Center and the Center for Internet & Society.
This intensive two-day event is designed for lawyers and Web publishing professionals responsible for sorting out the emerging legal issues surrounding the distribution of content on digital platforms.
The conference will explore:
Content monetization and the mechanics and business models for digital media.
The operational side of social media.
Anonymity and social responsibility on the internet. Read more » about Legal Frontiers in Digital Media
Is Your ISP Becoming A Copyright Cop? DPLA West—taking place on April 27, 2012 in San Francisco—is the second major public event bringing together librarians, technologists, creators, students, government leaders, and others interested in building a Digital Public Library of America. Convened by the DPLA Secretariat at the Berkman Center for Internet & Society and co-hosted by the San Francisco Public Library, the event will assemble a wide range of stakeholders in a broad, open forum to facilitate innovation, collaboration, and connections across the DPLA effort. DPLA West will also showcase the work of the interim technical development team and continue to provide opportunities for public participation in the work of the DPLA. Read more » about Digital Public Library of America - West
Come see the Bay Area screening of Documentary Film Program participant No Way Out But One. This inspiring true story is about Holly Collins and her children—the first U.S. citizens to be awarded asylum by the Netherlands for protection from domestic violence.
Lark Theater, Larkspur, CA
$20 Donation
Q & A with Garland Waller after the screening Read more » about Screening of No Way Out But One
May 14, 2012
This week, David Levine interviews Prof. Hamilton Bean of the University of Colorado Denver, author of the book No More Secrets: Open Source Information and the Reshaping of U.S. Intelligence. Read more » about Hamilton Bean - Hearsay Culture - Show #161 - KZSU-FM
May 7, 2012
In July 2012, several major internet access providers (including, very likely, yours) will roll out a new program supposedly intended to inhibit online infringement via peer top peer file-sharing networks. The program is a result of a deal, announced last year, between ISPs and big content providers to work together police online infringement, educate allegedly infringing subscribers and, if subscribers resist such education, take various steps including restricting their internet access. As always, the devil is in the details, and the details here are devilish indeed. EFF Intellectual Property Director Corynne McSherry outlined how the program will work and explained why subscribers might want to demand a reboot. Read more » about Is Your ISP Becoming A Copyright Cop? The Graduated Response Program and "Voluntary" Efforts to Police Online Infringement
April 23, 2012
A talk show on KZSU-FM, Stanford, 90.1 FM, hosted by Read more » about Jennifer Holt - Hearsay Culture - Show #160 - KZSU-FM
April 23, 2012
An evening conversation with CIS Executive Director of the Fair Use Project Anthony Falzone and Congressman Darrell Issa where they will discuss topics about SOPA, PIPA and internet freedom. Read more » about SOPA, PIPA and Internet Freedom - Where Do We Go From Here? Audio
