Technology and Copyright Law

The copyright laws of America have been around for many years. When they were created the concept of digital media did not exist. Technological advancements have changed the way Americans consume digital media and pose a significant challenge for those wishing to enforce their copyrights. Consumers want the ability to use the media that they purchase for whatever legitimate personal uses that can. The producers of the media fear that having such an open media will allow for piracy to occur too easily. As a result of these two opposing mindsets, America has two laws which often contradict each other; the Digital Millennium Copyright Act and Fair Use. There seems to be no simple solution to this issue. However, much of the problem appears to rise from the way the market is currently demanding media and the refusal by the producers to offer it in such a way. I feel that if the producers were to accept the changing market and offer their media at reasonable prices in the digital format that users want, then buyers would not need to pirate it to get it in the format they want.