House Judiciary Chairman Announces Review of U.S. Copyright Laws
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) recently announced plans to conduct a comprehensive review of the nation's copyright laws to determine if the laws are still working in the digital age. The increased access of copyrighted materials via the internet and other technological advancements pose challenges to the U.S. copyright system, necessitating, as Mr. Goodlatte noted, "a wide review of our nation's copyright laws and related enforcement mechanisms . . ."
Since the establishment of the U.S. Copyright Office in 1897, major revisions to the law have occurred only twice — in 1909 and 1976. The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), enacted in 1998, extended the reach of protection on copyrighted works, however, since its inception 15 years ago, significant changes in technology raise concerns that the DMCA may not be sufficient.
