Copyright and the Internet

Copyright and the Internet

New technology has made many creative works widely available through the Internet. For example, the technology known as Peer to Peer (P2P) allows for the transmission of music, videos, movies, software, video games, and other materials -- most of which is subject to copyright.

Remember that a copyright exists in a work at the time it becomes fixed in some tangible medium of expression. That means that an image you have downloaded from the Internet, as well as a video or musical performance, is almost certainly subject to copyright protection. When you download these works, transfer them to a disk or other medium, or send them to a friend, you are infringing on the rights of the copyright holder. Trafficking in such material without the permission of the copyright holder violates copyright law. This includes unauthorized music file sharing over the Internet.

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Page Updated 11/18/04