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.
Copyright and Fair Use
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.
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Non-Residential Fellow
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Brett Frischmann
Affiliate ScholarBrett Frischmann’s expertise is in intellectual property and internet law. After clerking for the Honorable Fred I. Parker of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and practicing at Wilmer, Cutler & Pickering in Washington, DC, he joined the Loyola University Chicago law faculty in 2002. He has held visiting appointments at Cornell and Fordham. Read more » about Brett Frischmann
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Lauren Gelman
Non-Residential FellowLauren is an experienced attorney, frequent speaker and start-up advisor who has worked in the field of Internet law and policy since 1995. She is the founder of BlurryEdge Strategies, a legal and strategy consulting firm located in San Francisco that advises technology companies and investors on cutting-edge legal issues. Lauren previously led the Center for Internet and Society at Stanford Law School and taught at the Law School and the Department of Engineering. Read more » about Lauren Gelman
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Jennifer Granick
Director of Civil LibertiesJennifer Granick is the Director of Civil Liberties at the Stanford Center for Internet and Society. Jennifer returns to Stanford after stints as General Counsel of entertainment company Worldstar Hip Hop and as counsel with the internet boutique firm of Zwillgen PLLC. Before that, she was the Civil Liberties Director at the Electronic Frontier Foundation. Jennifer practices, speaks and writes about computer crime and security, electronic surveillance, consumer privacy, data protection, copyright, trademark and the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. Read more » about Jennifer Granick
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Opposition To SOPA Continues To Grow
By Anthony Falzone • November 15, 2011 at 11:36 am
Representatives Anna Eshoo and Zoe Lofgren joined eight other members of Congress in urging the House Judiciary Committee to reject SOPA because it would cause "serious and long term damage to the technology industry" -- "one of the few bright spots in our economy."
Nine of the leading internet companies, including Google, Facebook, Twitter and Zynga also sent a letter to key member of the Committee explaining that SOPA would jeopardize protections that "have been a cornerstone of the U.S. Internet and technology industry’s growth and success."
Both letters are attached below, and you can find lots more information on the Protect Innovation homepage. Read more » about Opposition To SOPA Continues To Grow
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David Post: Occupy Hollywood (and stop SOPA)
By Anthony Falzone • November 4, 2011 at 12:24 pm
Last July, I signed on to a letter from more than 100 law professors urging Congress to reject the PROTECT-IP Act. A new version of that bill -- referred to as both the E-PARASITE Act and SOPA -- was introduced in the House last week, and it is even more dangerous than its predecessors. See David Post's critique at the Volokh Conspiracy. Hear Mark Lemley's discussion on APM's Marketplace. Once you do, you'll probably ask "what can I do to stop this?" You can start by signing this petition at whitehouse.gov, and using this tool from EFF to write your Senator and Congressperson -- wherever you live. Read more » about David Post: Occupy Hollywood (and stop SOPA)
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Fair Use Project Teams Up With Andy Warhol Foundation To Urge Second Circuit To Provide Broader Fair Use Protection For Artists
By Anthony Falzone • November 3, 2011 at 2:00 pm
Last March, a Manhattan district court issued an order declaring thirty paintings by the renowned artist Richard Prince unlawful, and issued an injunction that led to the seizure and potential destruction of his work. It did so because Prince’s paintings used images of Rastafarians that Prince found in Patrick Cariou’s book, Yes, Rasta. Yesterday, we filed an amicus brief on behalf of The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts urging the Second Circuit to reverse that decision. (The Warhol Foundation's press release is here.)
Read more » about Fair Use Project Teams Up With Andy Warhol Foundation To Urge Second Circuit To Provide Broader Fair Use Protection For Artists -
New York Times on Golan v. Holder: "free speech rights should prevail"
By Anthony Falzone • October 12, 2011 at 8:28 am
This New York Times editorial hits the nail on the head: active participation in the global economy does not justify the sacrifice of important First Amendment rights. Read more » about New York Times on Golan v. Holder: "free speech rights should prevail"
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Shloss v. Estate of Joyce - Order Denying Motion to Dismiss
Publication Date:February 9, 2007Publication Type:Litigation Brief -
Shloss v. Estate of Joyce - Opposition to the Joyce Estate's Motion to Dismiss
Author(s):Anthony FalzoneDavid OlsonLawrence LessigPublication Date:December 15, 2006Publication Type:Litigation Brief -
Shloss v. Estate of Joyce - Motion to Dismiss
Publication Date:November 16, 2006Publication Type:Litigation Brief -
Shloss v. Estate of Joyce - Amended Complaint
Author(s):Anthony FalzoneDavid OlsonJennifer GranickLawrence LessigPublication Date:October 25, 2006Publication Type:Litigation Brief
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Fairey v. The Associated Press
We represented visual artist Shepard Fairey in connection with the AP’s claim that his iconic “Hope” poster in support of President Obama’s campaign infringes the AP’s copyrights. We represented Fairey because we believe his artistic transformation of a news photograph to convey a political message fell within the protection of the fair use doctrine and presented an important example of why fair use is essential for free expression. Read more » about Fairey v. The Associated Press
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Shloss v. Estate of Joyce
After the Estate of James Joyce refused to allow a scholar to quote Joyce in her book, we successfully defended her right under the fair use doctrine to use the quotes she needed to illustrate her scholarship. After we prevailed in the case, the Estate paid $240,000 of our client’s legal fees. Read more » about Shloss v. Estate of Joyce
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Brave New Films v. Savage
After Original Talk Radio Network, the nationwide distributor of Michael Savage’s radio show, issued a takedown notice against a video critical of Savage’s portrayal of Muslims, we filed a lawsuit that convinced the company to withdraw its objections to our client’s film. Read more » about Brave New Films v. Savage
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Salinger v. Colting, et al.
We filed an amicus brief on behalf of a group of library associations and others asking the Second Circuit to reverse a lower court’s injunction of the publication of 60 Years Later: Coming through the Rye an unauthorized story based on J.D. Salinger’s in Catcher In The Rye. Read more » about Salinger v. Colting, et al.
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Why Can’t We Take Pictures in Art Museums?
Date published:May 13, 2013"According to Julie Ahrens, a lawyer who specializes in issues of copyright and fair use at the Center for Internet and Society at Stanford University, a photograph of an artwork could be considered a “derivative work,” which is “potentially a violation of the copyright holder.”" Read more » about Why Can’t We Take Pictures in Art Museums?
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Analysis: 'Landmark' ruling says commentary not needed for fair use defense
Date published:April 26, 2013""It's likely a landmark decision on the issue of appropriation art and what you can do with the existing work," said Julie Ahrens, of the Stanford Law Center for Internet and Society." Read more » about Analysis: 'Landmark' ruling says commentary not needed for fair use defense
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Feed Me, See More
Date published:April 25, 2013"“The law has never required the kind of licensing that people have assumed is necessary,” says Julie Ahrens, director of copyright and fair use at Stanford University’s Center for Internet and Society." Read more » about Feed Me, See More
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Constitution USA with Peter Sagal
Date published:April 23, 2013CIS Director of Civil Liberties Jennifer Granick is interviewed in the PBS Show Constitution USA with Peter Sagal. Read more » about Constitution USA with Peter Sagal
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CIS Introduction Meeting (Past Event)
September 28, 2009Stanford Law SchoolCome and meet the staff of CIS! Be introduced to our Documentary Film Program and Consumer Privacy Project.
Learn how to get involved with the Center for Internet and Society. Hear about the classes we are teaching and opportunities for students to work with us. Highlights include: Shepard Fairey v. The AP, WhatApp.org. Read more » about CIS Introduction Meeting
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6/12: Sixth Annual E-Commerce Best Practices Conference (Past Event)
June 12, 2009Stanford Law SchoolFor more information and to register please visit:
http://lst.stanford.edu/best_practices Read more » about 6/12: Sixth Annual E-Commerce Best Practices Conference -
5/14 & 5/15: Legal Frontiers in Digital Media (Past Event)
May 14, 2009Stanford Law SchoolPlease register at: http://publishingcourses.stanford.edu/legal-frontiers/
A joint conference of:
• Media Law Resource Center
• Stanford Publishing Courses
• Stanford Law School Center for Internet & SocietyA conference on emerging legal issues
surrounding digital publishing and content distribution Read more » about 5/14 & 5/15: Legal Frontiers in Digital Media -
5/11-5/13: 3rd Annual Tech Policy Summit (Past Event)
May 11, 2009Stanford Law SchoolTech Policy Summit is the only executive conference of its kind that brings together prominent leaders from the private and public sectors to examine critical policy issues impacting technology innovation and adoption in the United States and beyond.
<a data-cke-saved-href="" href="" http:="" events.techpolicycentral.com="" tps="" register.php"="">Registration is now open for the 3rd annual Tech Policy Summit, which will be held May 11-13, 2009 at the San Mateo Marriott hotel in the San Francisco Bay Area. Read more » about 5/11-5/13: 3rd Annual Tech Policy Summit
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First Amendment Architecture - STLR Symposium 2012 - First Amendment Challenges in the Digital Age (Video)
February 29, 2012
STLR Symposium 2012 - Co-Hosted by the Center for Internet and Society
February 10, 2012 -
Taking Forgetting Seriously - 2012 STLR Symposium - First Amendment Challenges in the Digital (Video)
February 28, 2012
STLR Symposium 2012 - Co-Hosted by the Center for Internet and Society Read more » about Taking Forgetting Seriously - 2012 STLR Symposium - First Amendment Challenges in the Digital (Video)
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First Amendment Architecture - STLR Symposium 2012 - First Amendment Challenges in the Digital Age (Audio)
February 28, 2012
STLR Symposium 2012 - Co-Hosted by the Center for Internet and Society
February 10, 2012 -
Taking Forgetting Seriously - 2012 STLR Symposium - First Amendment Challenges in the Digital Age (Audio)
February 28, 2012
STLR Symposium 2012 - Co-Hosted by the Center for Internet and Society Read more » about Taking Forgetting Seriously - 2012 STLR Symposium - First Amendment Challenges in the Digital Age (Audio)