[Commons-Law] Fwd: [A2k] CCIA Study: Dollar value of fair use for US industries

[Prashant Iyengar]

Interesting study on the beneficial impact of fair use. Now anti-copyright
activists also have their very own hyperbolic dollar figures. Yay.
Prashant

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Manon Ress <manon.ress at keionline.org>
Date: Sep 13, 2007 3:45 AM
Subject: [A2k] CCIA Study: Dollar value of fair use for US industries
To: a2k discuss list <a2k at lists.essential.org>

- --
[ Picked text/plain from multipart/alternative ]
Fair Use Economy Represents One-Sixth of U.S. GDP
File Under: News, 2007, Copyright, CCIA

http://www.ccianet.org/artmanager/publish/news/First-
Ever_Economic_Study_Calculates_Dollar_Value_of.shtml

Sep 12, 2007
WASHINGTON D.C. - Fair Use exceptions to U.S. copyright laws are
responsible for more than $4.5 trillion in annual revenue for the
United States, according to the findings of an unprecedented economic
study released today. According to the study commissioned by the
Computer and Communications Industry Association (CCIA) and conducted
in accordance with a World Intellectual Property Organization
methodology, companies benefiting from limitations on copyright-
holders' exclusive rights, such as "fair use" – generate substantial
revenue, employ millions of workers, and, in 2006, represented one-
sixth of total U.S. GDP.

The exhaustive report, released today at a briefing on Capitol Hill,
quantifies for the first time ever the critical contributions of fair
use to the U.S. economy.  The timing proves particularly important as
the debates over copyright law in the digital age move increasingly
to center stage on Capitol Hill.  As the report summarizes, in the
past twenty years as digital technology has increased, so too has the
importance of fair use.  With more than $4.5 trillion in revenue
generated by fair use dependent industries in 2006, a 31% increase
since 2002, fair use industries are directly responsible for more
than 18% of U.S. economic growth and nearly 11 million American
jobs.  In fact, nearly one out of every eight American jobs is in an
industry that benefits from current limitations on copyright.

"As the United States economy becomes increasingly knowledge-based,
the concept of fair use can no longer be discussed and legislated in
the abstract.  It is the very foundation of the digital age and a
cornerstone of our economy," said Ed Black, President and CEO of
CCIA.  "Much of the unprecedented economic growth of the past ten
years can actually be credited to the doctrine of fair use, as the
Internet itself depends on the ability to use content in a limited
and nonlicensed manner.  To stay on the edge of innovation and
productivity, we must keep fair use as one of the cornerstones for
creativity, innovation and, as today's study indicates, an engine for
growth for our country"

The Fair Use exception to U.S. copyright law, as codified in Section
107 of the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976 states, "The fair use of a
copyrighted work … is not an infringement of copyright."  Fair use
permits a range of activities that are critical to many high
technology businesses such as search engines and software
developmers.  As the study indicates, however, fair use and related
exceptions to copyright are crucial to non-technology industries as
well, such as insurance, legal services, and newspaper publishers.
The dependence of industries outside the high-tech field illustrates
the crucial need for balanced copyright law.


************************************************************************
***
Manon Anne Ress
manon.ress at keionline.org,

1621 Connecticut Ave, NW, Washington, DC 20009 USA
Tel.:  +1.202.332.2670, Ext 16 Fax: +1.202.332.2673

1 Route des  Morillons, CP 2100, 1211 Geneva 2, Switzerland
Tel: +41 22 791 6727

24 Highbury Crescent, London, N5 1RX, UK
Tel: +44(0)207 226 6663 ex 252 Fax: +44(0)207 354 0607



_______________________________________________
A2k mailing list
A2k at lists.essential.org
http://lists.essential.org/mailman/listinfo/a2k
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/commons-law/attachments/20070913/7c4e195c/attachment.html