What is copyright and why does it matter?
Copyright law grants exclusive rights to creators and subsequent owners to protect expressive works. National laws usually restrict uses of creative works automatically from fixation and prevent, among other things, making copies of a work without the righstholder’s permission. On the Internet, even the most basic activities like reading the news or checking the weather involve making copies. As our lives move increasingly online, copyright law regulates a great deal more of our lives than it did 20 years ago. Unfortunately, infringing on copyrights – even unintentionally or unknowingly – can lead to law suits and legal liability. Navigating the Internet without some understanding of copyright law is akin to driving on a foreign road without the ability to read any of the road signs – filled with uncertainty and risk. Part of Creative Commons’ mission is to reduce the uncertainty and risk associated with intellectual property rights both on and off line. Lawrence Lessig has discussed t
