COM 561 Intellectual Property Law
Focuses on how intellectual property law (specifically copyright and trademark law) intersects with new and interactive media such as web journalism, advertising, electronic databases, video games, and visual and performing arts. This course addresses both practical considerations and public policy concerns.
Goal
The intersection of law and technology has always been rife with legal dilemmas. New laws often come on the heels of new technology. This course introduces one of today's flashpoints for this difficult relationship: the law of intellectual property. Today, intellectual property law is the subject of demonstrations, acts of sabotage, mass civil disobedience, bitterly fought Supreme Court cases, intense lobbying, litigation, and legislating. Digital technology makes it easier to create interactive media but perhaps also easier to violate copyright and trademark laws in the process. This course will examine intellectual property law for creative content producers.