Web 2.0 and Copyright Legal issues for UniversitiesAaron MagnerLegal Counsel UNSW

The education technological revolutionThe 70’sThe photocopierMoorehouse v UNSW 1974Part VB license for education purposes (1980)

The education technological revolutionThe 80’sThe video recorderThe ‘Betamax’ case 1984Part VA license off air broadcast (1989)

The education technological revolutionThe90’sThe Internet & World Wide WebA&M Records v Napster 2001Copyright Amendment (Digital Agenda) Act 2000

Early 21st Century developments2001Web 2.0, P2P, Facebook, TwitterWireless, Bluetooth, iPhone, KindleFuture technological developments?2005

Toward the 2010’sAustralian internet use 80%18-25 year olds 96%University Students 100%YouTube 2nd largest search engine in the world70% of 18-34 years olds watched TV online.By 2010 Gen Y will outnumber baby bombers

The 21st Century UniversityUNSW YouTube channel1.5million hits since Oct 07.UNSW TVUNSW iTunesUContent can be restricted.180,000 podcast downloads since July 2008.12,000 podcasts a month

Safe Harbour?So what?Take Down Notices?Illegal Content? Peer to Peer File Sharing?Copyright Infringement?Infringement Notifications?Who Owns What?

Legal risksCopyright material incorporated into media not covered under the licence.Licensed for lectures or the library but not podcasts and YouTube.Interpreting fair dealing.Ambivalence toward Copyright law.Misconceptions about Copyright law.

Copyright myths Internet is Public Domain, can use anything.Using material for teaching is Fair Dealing.If you’re not charging for it, it’s alright. We’re using the material for the public good.They won’t sue a University.I won’t be personally liable.

What to do?

Copyright FactsCopying small portion may still be a copyright infringement. ‘Quality’ of the work taken, not just ‘Quantity’. ‘Works’ on the internet are copyright by their owner.Material licensed for education use in lectures may not be licensed for the Internet (YouTube and iTunesU).

Copyright Facts - Fair dealingThe law allows use without specific permission: For research or scholarship To criticize or comment To write news articles To practice or parodyStatutory licences - Part VA and VBUniversities pay large amounts to CAL & Screenrights and APRA.

Copyright Facts - Fair dealingFair dealing in a copyright work is not an infringement of copyright.Allows use of a work in a reasonable manner: BrevityAmount used SpontaneityWhen and how often used.

What could happen?

What could happen? If deliberate commercial scale infringement & substantial prejudicial effect on © owner - Criminal liability - 5 years jail and $300K fine. Section 132AC (1) Copyright Act.Universities are not Carriage Service Providers (except UQ) but should act as if covered by ‘Safe Harbour’ regime.Personal Liability: 2 years jail and $13K fine.

University Copyright - Things to doTo minimise risk of Copyright infringement liability:Strong access policiesClear terms of useTake down notice proceduresPermission templates Citations and attributions for all materialUpdate Copyright policies and proceduresEnforce copyright policyCommunication and training students and staff.

Checklist for uploading contentExercising one of the owner’s rights? Copy or a derivative work? Distribute or publish a copy? Publicly perform or distribute the work?Purpose for using the creative work?Is use Fair Dealing and therefore exempt?

What is Fair Dealing?‘Fair Dealing’ in AUS not as wide as ‘Fair Use’ in USASection 40: Fair Dealing for research and study How much and how often are you using?Does amount exceed reasonable expectation? Using the work more than once? Using the ‘heart’ or ‘essence’ of a work? ‘Quality’ not ‘Quantity’.

Future developments

Future developmentsOngoing improvements in technology.Universal internet adoption (developed world).The National Broadband Network.New disruptive technologies (Skype, YouTube etc) New business models.Copyright law has not kept up.

Future developmentsCopyright law reform. Industry options:Levy the medium, not the content.Industry supported collection society.Encourage industry to build and administer a P2P network for content sharing.Universities collect a low fee from students to access all content free – Warner Bros ‘Choruss’ model.

Future DevelopmentsWhat should Universities do?Prepare for a copyright infringement claim but compliance shouldn’t impose disproportionate cost. Workable approaches to Copyright complaints and disciplining offenders.Support open source access to research outcomes and processes. Different approaches among Universities. How does your University manage Copyright risk?

LicenceShare/ remix/ spread… and attribute.http://www.slideshare.net/AaronMagnerlicence elements: Attribution – attribute the authorNoncommercial – no commercial useShareAlike – changes allowed, but only if you put the new work under the same licence

Aaron Magner Legal Counsel The Legal Office - Chancellery Building UNSW SYDNEY NSW 2052email: a.magner@unsw.edu.auElsewhere on the webScribdscribd.com/aaronmagnerSlideshareslideshare.net/aaronmagnerLinkedinlinkedin.com/in/aaronmagnerTwitter @aaronmagnerBlog aaronmagner.comFacebookfacebook.com/aaronmagnerAttribution: Images from Istockphoto.com and flickr.comContacts