Members of a U.S. House of Representatives panel saw copyrights through different lenses Thursday.
Donning special glasses, members of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet viewed a 3-D video clip as part of a hearing that featured music, photo, and movie industry representatives, all touting the economic benefits of strong copyrights. Leaders from the Copyright Alliance, Getty Images Inc., the American Society of Media Photographers, Yep Roc Records and Redeye Distribution Inc., and 3-D moviemaker Stereo D LLC said robust copyright protections are vital for their industries' growth and survival in the digital age.
John Lapham, senior vice president and general counsel of Getty Images, said his company faces challenges with copyright infringement online. The media company has technology in place to pursue pirated content, but it isn't enough, according to Lapham. But Congress can help, he said.
No testimony from those who use copyrighted materials in a transformative way, or those who cannot do so at all due to prohibitively expensive "licensing fees." This hearing seems to have been an one-way ratchet leading solely to increased copyright protections.
Posted by: Andy Patterson | July 26, 2013 at 09:39 AM