OF COPYRIGHT 'RIGHTS', BROADCAST FLAGS, AND OTHER ATTEMPTS TO CONTROL COPYING FOR PERSONAL USE

摘要

In 1984, the Supreme Court of the United States, in the famous "Betamax" Case, established the right of the end user to record copyrighted television programs and make copies of pre-recorded software, as long as these copies were for personal use. This decision was made long before the advent of the digital age and the Internet, and the enhanced capabilities these newer technologies have provided for mass copying of copyrighted content has brought into question whether the Betamax decision is still workable and valid. Napster allowed Internet users to exchange musical recordings simply and at no cost, and as broadband capabilities have become commonplace around the world, more and more movies and other video presentations are being downloaded from the Internet, again at no cost to the user.