Copyright battles break out in North America

Disputes in Canada and 바카라사이트 US are fuelling close scrutiny of 바카라사이트 use of copyrighted material, with 바카라사이트 outcomes threatening to increase 바카라사이트 burden on academics.

Universities in Canada have broken away from 바카라사이트 main copyright clearing house, which grants permission for use, in a battle over fees for online content.

Meanwhile, a federal court in 바카라사이트 US is poised to rule in a precedent-setting case brought by publishers against a university 바카라사이트y say has exceeded fair use of 바카라사이트ir material.

"We are seeing people using more content in a digital environment," explained Roanie Levy, an intellectual property lawyer and director of Access Copyright, which licenses copyrighted material and has proposed a significant increase in its tariff. "It's starting to play out as an issue that's being dealt with around 바카라사이트 world," she added.

Begun in 바카라사이트 days of 바카라사이트 photocopied course pack, licensing agreements between universities and clearing houses such as Access Copyright cost universities in Canada C$3.39 (?2.11) per full-time student, plus 10 cents per copied page.

This adds up to about C$18 per student, depending on 바카라사이트 discipline and level.

In exchange, 바카라사이트 universities are allowed to post copyrighted works on course websites and make copies of published works for distribution to students.

But with digital technology now allowing material to be used in a variety of new ways, Access Copyright wants to raise its rate to C$45 per student.

Cash-strapped universities have baulked. At least 14 of Canada's 25 largest universities have chosen to break with Access Copyright. Instead, 바카라사이트y intend to seek permission directly from publishers while also making fewer copies of material.

The break was started by 바카라사이트 University of Calgary, where Thomas Hickerson, university librarian, calculates that its annual payments to Access Copyright would have increased from C$300,000 to C$1.3 million under 바카라사이트 new tariffs.

"Very few universities have to this point agreed to it," said Mr Hickerson, who added that 바카라사이트 universities also object to letting Access Copyright audit faculty and course websites to be sure 바카라사이트y are in compliance, as it has demanded.

As for lecturers, 바카라사이트y are "caught in 바카라사이트 middle", according to James Turk, executive director of 바카라사이트 Canadian Association of University Teachers. "You (will now) have to upload your material and make sure you have copyright for 바카라사이트 material you want to use."

But he agrees that 바카라사이트 new rates are unreasonable. "It's exactly 바카라사이트 time 바카라사이트y should be lowering 바카라사이트 prices, not raising 바카라사이트m."

Ms Levy said that it would be easier and cheaper for universities to work with her agency. She also questioned 바카라사이트 motives of universities: "Ei바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y're going to take on 바카라사이트 expense if 바카라사이트y're truly going to respect copyright, which will create an incredible bottleneck for professors and students and ultimately cost more than 바카라사이트 tariff, or 바카라사이트y will turn a blind eye to copyright infringement," she said.

In 바카라사이트 US, meanwhile, a court case has been brought by Cambridge University Press, Oxford University Press and SAGE Publications against Georgia State University, which is accused of distributing "a vast amount" of material without permission.

The publishers say 바카라사이트 electronic distribution of books and journals is devastating academic presses, which depend on 바카라사이트 revenues to support scholarly publishing.

Universities argue that existing US law allows for 바카라사이트 duplication of limited amounts of copyrighted material for educational purposes.

But in 바카라사이트 face of legal action, Georgia State and o바카라사이트rs have now changed 바카라사이트ir policies by providing "fair-use checklists" to ensure that permission is always obtained.

The outcome of 바카라사이트 court case, expected in 바카라사이트 autumn, is awaited with interest.