Criticism of copyright

Opposition to copyright or anti-copyright refers to a movement dissenting the nature of current copyright law, often focusing on perceived negative philosophical, economical or social effects of such laws. Adherents advocate for complete or partial change or remission of current legislation.

Normally copyright is enforced within a framework of the Berne Convention, instituted by Victor Hugo and first enacted in 1886. Numerous international copyright treaties have since been passed, but copyright law is different in all countries.

A central anti-copyright argument is that copyright is not and has never been of net benefit to society and instead serves to enrich a few at the expense of creativity and widespread accessibility of works. The classic argument for copyright is that granting creators temporary monopolies over works—giving them an income will encourage producing future works as well.

In the context of the Internet and new technological advances, opponents argue that copyright law needs to be adapted to modern information technology.

Pirate Cinema and groups like The League of Noble Peers advance more radical arguments, opposing copyright per se. A number of anti-copyright groups have recently emerged in the argument over peer-to-peer file sharing, digital freedom, and freedom of information; these include the Association des audionautes and the Kopimism Church of New Zealand.

In 2003, Eben Moglen, a professor of Law at Columbia University, published the dotCommunist Manifesto, which re-interpreted the Communist Manifesto by Marx in the light of the development of computer technology and the internet; much of the re-interpreted content discussed copyright law and privilege in Marxist terms.

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