The Digital Dilemma: Intellectual Property in the Information Age

Committee on Intellectual Property Rights and the Emerging Information Infrastructure Computer Science and Telecommunications Board Commission on Physical Sciences, Mathematics, and Applications National Research Council. Ohio State Law journal vol. 62(2001). Retrieved on July 24,2009
(http://moritzlaw.osu.edu/lawjournal/issues/volume62/number2/nrc.pdf)

ABSTRACT:

This article mainly discusses violations against copyright laws as digital information continues to proliferate. The different issues and concerns on Intellectual Property are presented. The Committee proposes possible solutions / amendments to existing laws for the authors and publishers to be distinguished and recognized accordingly in this world where digital technology continues to progress.

MY THOUGHTS / REFLECTION:

> Information in digital form has radically changed the economics and ease of production. Producing digital format of information is much cheaper and easier. Buy a book and with the use of scanner / software, you'll have a digital copy of it which can be shared and accessed by anyone.Hence, the expensive cost of publishing is avoided.

> Laws and practices vary worldwide, yet networks have global reach. What is forbidden in the Philippines may not be forbidden in the US or any other countries. It is somehow hard to establish Intellectual Property / Copyright Laws that can be implemented worldwide. Laws are territorial, but digital information is global.

> Digital information is in some ways becoming a service rather than a product. Buy a book and you own it forever; pay for access to a digital book and when the period is over, you often retain nothing. Archiving faces a big issue on this.

In the modern world where technology runs the lives of everyone, it is sad and alarming to accept the fact that authors and publishers are given less credit for their works. I work for a company which produces own instructional and review materials for clients, as part of indicating our ownerhip to our authored materials, we put watermarks at the center of our products. I guess as a librarian, I need to suggest ways and at the same time respect Intellectual Property for it to survive the digital age..