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Intellectual Property Discussion in the Classroom?
Nick M asks: "I'm a TA for a Computer Ethics course at Lehigh University. My professor is currently in China, and I'm charged with the task of teaching the chapter on Intellectual Property. I have read the book (Cyberethics, Spinello, 3rd Ed.), and can see that this could be the most boring 75 minutes of their lives. What topics, examples and questions do you think would stimulate a heated discussion on intellectual property rights which would display the complexities of both sides of the issue?"
Replying to my own post with suggested examples...
Play the class a few bars of "Pretty fly for a white guy" by Offspring - specifically the part that includes the words "Gunter glieben glauchen globen".
Ask the class if you owe Offspring money because you used their work? Lead into 'fair use' exemptions.
Play Def Leppard's song "Rock of Ages" - specifically the part that offspring sampled the words "Gunter glieben glauchen globen" from. Ask the class if Offspring owe Def Leppard money? Lead into the way both artists signed their copyrights away.
Play "Weird Al" Yankovic's "Pretty Fly for a Rabbi". Ask the class if he owes Offspring money, and if Offspring should have the right to say "no don't mess with our song".
A pizza of radius z and thickness a has a volume of pi z z a
Item 1: Fair Use - When is it OK to hack a DVD?
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If I wanted to do a report on the cultural influence of Star Wars, would it be OK to download from the Internet a screen capture of the Death Star to compare to the AT&T logo, also downloaded?
Would it be OK to break the encryption on a DVD to get a picture of the Death Star to compare to the AT&T logo?
What about the sounds that Jar Jar Binks makes versus an historical African American portrayal such as Gone with the Wind? Can I get those?
What about a video of his walk when compared to the same figures walking or dancing? Can I get those?
Does the law allow this? (DMCA - probably not)
Item 2: What about copyright terms in different countries?
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IIRC Australia has a 50 year limit on copyright. Is it OK for an Australian to post for free scans of 51 year old books on the Internet?
What about 51 year old movies? 51 year old songs?
Is it OK to listen to those songs in the USA or Canada?
Should the ISP block that access?
Who gets to decide what's on that block list?
Item 3: Sharing - Where do we draw the line?
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Is it OK to make a mix CD or mix tape for a friend?
Is it OK to rip a CD to make MP3s on my computer?
How many copies of those MP3s can I make for personal use?
Is it OK to keep the MP3s if my original CDs are destroyed in a fire?
Is it OK to make a mix CD with some of my friend's MP3 songs and some of mine?
Is it OK for both of us to back up that CD as MP3s?
Is it OK to mix my entire MP3 collection with my friend's entire MP3 collection?
Is it OK to do that with everyone I meet on the Internet?
Is it OK to do each of these things with movies?
The world will not get better through technology. We must seek to be better people.