United States Copyright Office (2015b)

From Copyright EVIDENCE

Advertising Architectural Publishing of books, periodicals and other publishing Programming and broadcasting Computer programming Computer consultancy Creative, arts and entertainment Cultural education Libraries, archives, museums and other cultural activities

Film and motion pictures Sound recording and music publishing Photographic activities PR and communication Software publishing Video game publishing Specialised design Television programmes Translation and interpretation

1. Relationship between protection (subject matter/term/scope) and supply/economic development/growth/welfare 2. Relationship between creative process and protection - what motivates creators (e.g. attribution; control; remuneration; time allocation)? 3. Harmony of interest assumption between authors and publishers (creators and producers/investors) 4. Effects of protection on industry structure (e.g. oligopolies; competition; economics of superstars; business models; technology adoption) 5. Understanding consumption/use (e.g. determinants of unlawful behaviour; user-generated content; social media)

A. Nature and Scope of exclusive rights (hyperlinking/browsing; reproduction right) B. Exceptions (distinguish innovation and public policy purposes; open-ended/closed list; commercial/non-commercial distinction) C. Mass digitisation/orphan works (non-use; extended collective licensing) D. Licensing and Business models (collecting societies; meta data; exchanges/hubs; windowing; crossborder availability) E. Fair remuneration (levies; copyright contracts) F. Enforcement (quantifying infringement; criminal sanctions; intermediary liability; graduated response; litigation and court data; commercial/non-commercial distinction; education and awareness)

Source Details

United States Copyright Office (2015b)
Title: Orphan Works and Mass Digitization
Author(s): United States Copyright Office
Year: 2015
Citation: Orphan Works and Mass Digitization, United States Copyright Office (2015), available at http://copyright.gov/orphan/reports/orphan-works2015.pdf.
Link(s): Definitive , Open Access
Key Related Studies:
Discipline:
Linked by:
About the Data
Data Description: In 2014, 81 public roundtable participant and 166 responses to Notice of Inquiry were received. In 2012, 89 reply and 91 initial comments to Notice of Inquiry were received.
Data Type: Primary data
Secondary Data Sources:
Data Collection Methods:
Data Analysis Methods:
Industry(ies):
Country(ies):
Cross Country Study?: Yes
Comparative Study?: Yes
Literature review?: No
Government or policy study?: No
Time Period(s) of Collection:
  • 2014
  • 2012
Funder(s):
  • United States Copyright Office

Abstract

As the Supreme Court reaffirmed in 2012, facilitating the dissemination of creative expression is an important means of facilitating the constitutional mandate to 'promote the Progress of Science.' This Report addresses two circumstances in which the accomplishment of that goal may be hindered under the current law due to practical obstacles preventing good faith actors from securing permission to make productive uses of copyrighted works. First, with respect to orphan works, referred to as 'perhaps the single greatest impediment to creating new works,' a user's ability to seek permission or to negotiate licensing terms is compromised by the fact that, despite his or her diligent efforts, the user cannot identify or locate the copyright owner. Second, in the case of mass digitization – which involves making reproductions of many works, as well as possible efforts to make the works publicly accessible – obtaining permission is essentially impossible, not necessarily because of a lack of identifying information or the inability to contact the copyright owner, but because of the sheer number of individual permissions required.

Main Results of the Study

After reviewing stakeholder responses and international systems, the Copyright Office recommends two separate solutions for mass digitization and orphan works. Due to the widespread problem of receiving permission for orphan work use, the Copyright Office recommends limiting liability on infringement for orphan works after diligent search. For mass digitization, the issue centres on market efficiency rather than lack of information. Thus the Copyright Office proposes legislative reform (with regulatory flexibility) based on extended collective licensing.

Policy Implications as Stated By Author

The proposed orphan works legislative framework would do the following:

  • Establish a limitation on remedies for copyright infringement for eligible users who can prove they have engaged in a good faith diligent search for the owner of a copyright and have been unable to identify or locate him or her;
  • Define a diligent search as, at a minimum, searching Copyright Office records; searching sources of copyright authorship, ownership, and licensing; using technology tools; and using databases, all as reasonable and appropriate under the circumstances;
  • Require the Copyright Office to maintain and update Recommended Practices for diligent searches for various categories of works, through public consultation with interested stakeholders;
  • Add injunction and monetary relief limitations for infringements of orphan works by eligible nonprofit educational institutions, museums, libraries, archives, or public broadcasters, for noncommercial, educational, religious, or charitable purposes, provided the eligible entity promptly ceases the infringing use;
  • Explicitly preserve the ability of users to assert fair use for uses of orphan works.

Coverage of Study

Coverage of Fundamental Issues
Issue Included within Study
Relationship between protection (subject matter/term/scope) and supply/economic development/growth/welfare
Green-tick.png
Relationship between creative process and protection - what motivates creators (e.g. attribution; control; remuneration; time allocation)?
Harmony of interest assumption between authors and publishers (creators and producers/investors)
Effects of protection on industry structure (e.g. oligopolies; competition; economics of superstars; business models; technology adoption)
Green-tick.png
Understanding consumption/use (e.g. determinants of unlawful behaviour; user-generated content; social media)
Green-tick.png
Coverage of Evidence Based Policies
Issue Included within Study
Nature and Scope of exclusive rights (hyperlinking/browsing; reproduction right)
Exceptions (distinguish innovation and public policy purposes; open-ended/closed list; commercial/non-commercial distinction)
Mass digitisation/orphan works (non-use; extended collective licensing)
Green-tick.png
Licensing and Business models (collecting societies; meta data; exchanges/hubs; windowing; crossborder availability)
Green-tick.png
Fair remuneration (levies; copyright contracts)
Green-tick.png
Enforcement (quantifying infringement; criminal sanctions; intermediary liability; graduated response; litigation and court data; commercial/non-commercial distinction; education and awareness)

Datasets

Sample size: 247
Level of aggregation: Stakeholders
Period of material under study: 2014


Sample size: 180
Level of aggregation: Stakeholders
Period of material under study: 2012