Copyright Policy, Creativity, and Innovation in the Information Economy

United States Patent and Trademark Office and National Telecommunications and Information Administration
July 1, 2010
8:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.

Recognizing the vital importance of both intellectual property and the Internet to U.S. creativity and innovation, the Department has made it a top priority to ensure that both remain vehicles for these important purposes. The Department has assembled an Internet Policy Task Force (Task Force) whose mission is to identify leading public policy and operational challenges in the Internet environment, including challenges associated with protecting the legal rights of inventors and creators. The Task Force leverages expertise across many bureaus, including those responsible for domestic and international information and communications technology policy, international trade, cybersecurity standards and best practices, intellectual property rights, business advocacy and export control.

As part of the Task Force agenda, USPTO and NTIA are conducting a comprehensive review of the relationship of copyright policy, creativity, and innovation in the Internet economy which will include issuing a notice of inquiry. To facilitate this review, USPTO and NTIA will hold this public meeting to discuss stakeholder views and to encourage public discussion of online copyright policy in the United States. The event will seek participation and comment from all interested stakeholders, including the commercial, rightsholder, academic, and civil society sectors, on the impact of current copyright laws, the common and emerging techniques used to illegally distribute and obtain protected works, and the extent of infringement and effects on creativity and innovation in relevant technologies. The agencies will explore the changing nature of infringement and whether those changes suggest gaps in copyright law. Similarly, the agencies invite discussion of the changing impact of copyright law on individual rights. The review will also seek to develop a deeper understanding of the relationship of current copyright laws to consumer welfare, job creation, international trade, and fundamental democratic values. The review is being coordinated with the office of the Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator in the Office of Management and Budget, Executive Office of the President.