Michael Geist on Copyright in Canada

Two days ago, I went to a CASLIS Toronto event where Dr. Michael Geist talked about copyright, but really it was about the evolution of digital culture more generally. It was a rich presentation, with a strong narrative – including well designed visuals – to it that helped me understand recent debates about copyright better. One question from the audience has had me thinking for a while now. He was asked,  “Are you optimistic or pessimistic about where the copyright debate is going?” He responded along the lines of, “Pessimistic in the short term, optimistic in the long term.”

One of the most interesting things about copyright that is easy to forget is just how important the issue is now. Copyright in 1990 or 1970 was a largely obscure area of commercial law that attracted almost no interest outside of the legal profession or media companies. Now, copyright is a framework that can enable our digital future to grow or perhaps serve to prop up outmoded business models that are in decline. Much of my thinking on copyright is informed by two particular books (Remix and Free Culture) by Lawrence Lessig which are both good, but they speak to the American copyright tradition. That’s one of many reasons why I appreciate the public education efforts that Dr. Geist has undertaken in the past 2-3 years.

Related posts:

1. New iSchool Podcast episode: Professor Michael Geist on “Why Copyright? The Fight for Canada’s Digital Future.”