I just completed an essay for MLIS 2000 class on US copyright policy and the future of libraries. My understanding of copyright, based on three assigned books, has had me thinking about how copyright laws, if unbalanced, are a real threat to society's ability to create, share and collaborate on projects that contribute to our culture.
The books, Wealth of Networks, Remix, and Digital Copyright, explain how our current copyright law is an environment of prohibition, that is, assume everything is copyrighted unless otherwise told it is not. This is an unreasonable way to function in the digital age, where information sharing of any stripe is second-nature.
The books really changed the way I think about what I see on the mass media and what is available in the public domain. If we want a culture of possibilities, of work that is created by the public for social advancement, we need less private owners. Passive consumption is not enough.
