This document summarizes the history and evolution of copyright law in the United States, focusing on key acts and cases. It discusses how copyright law has expanded over time to protect unpublished and digital works. Recent issues addressed include identifying copyright holders when protections expire, and determining what constitutes "personal use" of copyrighted content on social media. The document concludes by noting that social media is presenting new challenges for copyright law.

1. Copyright Law and Internet
Protocal
By: Alexandria Wilson

2. Brief History of Copyright Law
 The First Amendment gives us the freedom to create while the constitution gives us the ability to
have these creations protected (Lisby, 2017, p. 259).
 The Copyright Act of 1909 began the work of protecting all works that have not yet been
published.
 The Copyright Act of 1976 protects original works in ALL types of mediums.

3. Statute Law
 Mazer v. Stein (1954) protected a creator when he changed the use of the art work he had
copyrighted. This case demonstrates Congress’s wish to “advance the public wellfre through the
talents of authors and inventors.”
 Does playing a song or movie electronically count as a performance? Twentieth Century Music v.
Aiken (1975)
 Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1996 was which amended the Copyright Act of 1976 was
created to help with the changes in technology and the ability to publish content digitally

4. Recent Case Law
 A feature piece in the New York Times
brought to light a flaw in the copyright
system. When a copyright expires or is
changed the creator or holder of it is not
made known (Rohter, 2013).
 Social media is causing a stir in copyright law
as well. Conrad v. Community Credit Union
(2014) brought up the question of whether or
not social media is considered “personal use.”

5. Law Review Analysis
 In this evolving age of social media we are seeing an “enforcement paradox” where those who
need protection through copyright on social media cannot afford to take these things to court
and those that do not have merit for a case are the people with the money to go to court
(Wichtowski, 2017).
 Wichtowski’s proposed solution was a changed to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act which
would “allow social media platforms to bring suit as a nonexclusive rights holder for the
infringement of users’ content” (2017, p. 255).

6. Conclusion
 Social media is adding new challenges and
questions to copyright laws.
 There will more than likely be a shift in the
way copyright laws are handled on social
media as social sights become more settled
in this new industry.