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  5. Indirect Liability for Copyright Infringement: Napster and Beyond

Journal of Economic Perspectives

ISSN 0895-3309 (Print) | ISSN 1944-7965 (Online)

Indirect Liability for Copyright Infringement: Napster and Beyond

  • William Landes
  • Douglas Lichtman
Journal of Economic Perspectives
vol. 17, no. 2, Spring 2003
(pp. 113–124)
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Abstract

When individuals infringe copyright, they often use tools, services, and venues provided by other parties. An enduring legal question asks to what extent those other parties should be held liable for the resulting infringement. For example, should a firm that produces photocopiers be required to compensate authors for any unauthorized copies made on that firm's machines? What about firms that manufacture personal computers or offer Internet access; should they be held liable, at least in part, for online music piracy? In this essay, we examine how modern copyright law addresses these questions and we evaluate the resulting system on economic grounds.

Citation

Landes, William, and Douglas Lichtman. 2003. "Indirect Liability for Copyright Infringement: Napster and Beyond ." Journal of Economic Perspectives, 17 (2): 113–124. DOI: 10.1257/089533003765888467

JEL Classification

  • K11 Property Law
  • O34 Intellectual Property and Intellectual Capital
  • L82 Entertainment; Media
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