EU digital copyright law and the end-user

Giuseppe Mazziotti (auth.)9783540759843, 3540759840

This book is the first comprehensive exploration of the legal framework of EU digital copyright law from the perspective of the ‘end-user’. This multi-faceted actor of the digital environment is a consumer of copyrighted works, a file-sharer of these works on the Internet, and a possible follow-on creator, who builds upon pre-existing digitised materials. All of these activities raise significant issues for national, European and international legal systems.
The author critically evaluates the economic and legal consequences of the spectacular rise of user-generated content for existing copyright rules, with reference to human rights law, competition law and other important policies contained in the EC Treaty. He details policy options which would establish a balance between digital copyright law and the preservation of constitutionally-mandated end-user activities like personal use, private copying, educational and research activities and the unprecedented transformative uses enabled by digital technologies.
This book is essential reading for lawyers, policymakers and academics interested in copyright law, competition law concerning digital media and information technology, consumer digital rights, Internet governance, freedom of expression and user data protection in digital settings.

Table of contents :
Front Matter….Pages I-XX
Front Matter….Pages 1-1
Introduction….Pages 3-13
The impact of digitisation on the desirability of copyright exceptions….Pages 15-39
Front Matter….Pages 41-41
Copyright harmonisation according to technological dictates….Pages 43-76
The legal treatment of copyright exceptions under secondary EU law….Pages 77-109
Digital copyright law: general policy issues under the EC Treaty….Pages 111-133
Front Matter….Pages 135-135
Implications of sharing copyrighted works on the Internet….Pages 137-177
Freedom of use vs . DRM Technology….Pages 179-229
Front Matter….Pages 231-231
Copyright policy alternatives for preserving end-user freedom of expression and information….Pages 233-283
Conclusion: towards a better EU copyright law….Pages 285-309
Back Matter….Pages 311-374