THEORIZING THE PUBLIC DOMAIN: COPYRIGHT AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF A CULTURAL COMMONS

Abstract

The expansion of copyright and the shrinking of the public domain did not begin with the Internet, but the Internet has exacerbated the problem. The threat posed by digital technology has led industries to obtain increasingly absolute protection over their “property.” In this paper I will argue that developing a vibrant public domain is essential for resisting the overextension of copyrights and patents. Developing the public domain as a counterpoint to copyright and patent law is vital to an energized public sphere and by extension a democratic system.

Citation

Halbert, D. (2003), "THEORIZING THE PUBLIC DOMAIN: COPYRIGHT AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF A CULTURAL COMMONS", Studies in Law, Politics and Society (Studies in Law, Politics, and Society, Vol. 29), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 3-36. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1059-4337(03)29001-3