Aaron Perzanowski and Jason Schultz
- Published in print:
- 2016
- Published Online:
- May 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780262035019
- eISBN:
- 9780262335959
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- The MIT Press
- DOI:
- 10.7551/mitpress/9780262035019.001.0001
- Subject:
- Information Science, Library Science
The digital economy has great potential, but it also entails risks. The notion of personal property and ownership is under threat because of the shift to digital distribution and ubiquitous embedded ...
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The digital economy has great potential, but it also entails risks. The notion of personal property and ownership is under threat because of the shift to digital distribution and ubiquitous embedded software. This book makes a case for the importance of ownership in the digital age. It argues that the rights associated with ownership serve critical functions of promoting cultural preservation and innovation as well as protecting consumer autonomy. Technological developments and the aggressive efforts of IP rights holders, however, are gradually eroding the concept of ownership. There has been a disconcerting trend of courts bypassing the default rules of property law; the rights acquired by consumers through purchase are defined instead by license agreements drafted by IP rights holders or retailers. In addition to license agreements, IP rights holders also employ technological methods such as Digital Rights Management (DRM) to restrict consumer use and protect their intellectual property. The matter is made worse by online retailers’ insufficient disclosure, which frequently uses words like “buy” or “own” to offer false promises of ownership. The loss of personal property rights has serious consequence not just for individual consumers; an important institutional actor – the public library – is also struggling to deal with the shift to digital collections and the corresponding restrictions imposed by IP rights holders. In response to these threats to ownership, the book explores legal as well as technological solutions, and presents a powerful argument for informed consumer choice in the digital marketplace.Less
The digital economy has great potential, but it also entails risks. The notion of personal property and ownership is under threat because of the shift to digital distribution and ubiquitous embedded software. This book makes a case for the importance of ownership in the digital age. It argues that the rights associated with ownership serve critical functions of promoting cultural preservation and innovation as well as protecting consumer autonomy. Technological developments and the aggressive efforts of IP rights holders, however, are gradually eroding the concept of ownership. There has been a disconcerting trend of courts bypassing the default rules of property law; the rights acquired by consumers through purchase are defined instead by license agreements drafted by IP rights holders or retailers. In addition to license agreements, IP rights holders also employ technological methods such as Digital Rights Management (DRM) to restrict consumer use and protect their intellectual property. The matter is made worse by online retailers’ insufficient disclosure, which frequently uses words like “buy” or “own” to offer false promises of ownership. The loss of personal property rights has serious consequence not just for individual consumers; an important institutional actor – the public library – is also struggling to deal with the shift to digital collections and the corresponding restrictions imposed by IP rights holders. In response to these threats to ownership, the book explores legal as well as technological solutions, and presents a powerful argument for informed consumer choice in the digital marketplace.
Arlindo Oliveira
- Published in print:
- 2017
- Published Online:
- September 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780262036030
- eISBN:
- 9780262338394
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- The MIT Press
- DOI:
- 10.7551/mitpress/9780262036030.003.0003
- Subject:
- Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence
The chapter covers the developments in science that led to the digital computers of today. It all started with the understanding of electromagnetic phenomena, made possible by the discovery of ...
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The chapter covers the developments in science that led to the digital computers of today. It all started with the understanding of electromagnetic phenomena, made possible by the discovery of Maxwell’s equations, and all the developments that followed and made possible the controlled used of electricity. Following up on the great developments of the last half of the 19th century, the great discoveries in physics led to the invention of the transistor, one of the most important creations of humanity. Transistors made integrated circuits with millions and billions of transistors possible, thanks to Moore’s law, which predicted an exponential development of digital circuit technology. These complex digital circuits made possible mobile communications, digital computers, the internet and, ultimately, the digital economy that makes modern society possible.Less
The chapter covers the developments in science that led to the digital computers of today. It all started with the understanding of electromagnetic phenomena, made possible by the discovery of Maxwell’s equations, and all the developments that followed and made possible the controlled used of electricity. Following up on the great developments of the last half of the 19th century, the great discoveries in physics led to the invention of the transistor, one of the most important creations of humanity. Transistors made integrated circuits with millions and billions of transistors possible, thanks to Moore’s law, which predicted an exponential development of digital circuit technology. These complex digital circuits made possible mobile communications, digital computers, the internet and, ultimately, the digital economy that makes modern society possible.
Aaron Perzanowski and Jason Schultz
- Published in print:
- 2016
- Published Online:
- May 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780262035019
- eISBN:
- 9780262335959
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- The MIT Press
- DOI:
- 10.7551/mitpress/9780262035019.003.0001
- Subject:
- Information Science, Library Science
This chapter observes two trends: the rise of the digital marketplace as the result of technological development and the decline of ownership due to aggressive intellectual property laws, restrictive ...
More
This chapter observes two trends: the rise of the digital marketplace as the result of technological development and the decline of ownership due to aggressive intellectual property laws, restrictive contractual provisions and technological locks. Admittedly, the market offers consumers a choice between ownership and more conditional, impermanent access to goods, but because of the asymmetric information possessed by consumers and retailers or IP rights holders, consumers frequently cannot make informed decisions. This leads to the loss of control over the goods they purchase; more importantly, the lack of ownership rights has serious implications for cultural preservation, innovation and consumer autonomy. The rest of the book unfolds by detailing how consumers and IP rights holders contend for control over physical and digital goods in various areas.Less
This chapter observes two trends: the rise of the digital marketplace as the result of technological development and the decline of ownership due to aggressive intellectual property laws, restrictive contractual provisions and technological locks. Admittedly, the market offers consumers a choice between ownership and more conditional, impermanent access to goods, but because of the asymmetric information possessed by consumers and retailers or IP rights holders, consumers frequently cannot make informed decisions. This leads to the loss of control over the goods they purchase; more importantly, the lack of ownership rights has serious implications for cultural preservation, innovation and consumer autonomy. The rest of the book unfolds by detailing how consumers and IP rights holders contend for control over physical and digital goods in various areas.
