Copyright Policy Practicum: Copyright Licensing

One of today’s great challenges for creative production on and off the Internet is to connect creative users of copyrighted works with the works’ owners quickly and cheaply in order to enable licensed uses. With the United States Copyright Office as its client, this practicum will develop a feasibility study and rough prototype for a Web-based, frictionless, copyright clearance and transaction system for photographs. Law students will work with computer science and business students to inventory existing sources of copyright ownership information for photographs; explore with the managers of these sources (including the Copyright Office) protocols for integrating the sources in a Web-based platform; explore use protocols with potential copyright users; develop strategies for gathering ownership data that do not presently reside in databases; and develop (and possibly implement) criteria for platform-enabling software.

view 2014-2015 course details view 2015-2016 course details

Instructors

Paul Goldstein 1 — Paul Goldstein

Stella W. and Ira S. Lillick Professor of Law
View Profile : Paul Goldstein

Luciana Herman 1 — Luciana Herman

Policy Lab Program Director
Lecturer in Law
View Profile : Luciana Herman

Inside Stanford Lawyer Magazine

Copyright Licensing Practicum

For the creators of artistic and literary works—whether photographers, writers, musicians, or filmmakers—the digital revolution is a double-edged sword: On the one hand, the internet provides nearly unlimited exposure for their work. On the other hand, copyrighted material can be downloaded for the cost of an internet connection...

Clients & Deliverables

Clients:

U.S. Copyright Office

2014-2015 Deliverables:

Public Response to Notice of Inquiry (4/24/15)
Briefing Book
Proof-of-Concept, Web-Based, Licensing Platform, “Low-Cost Licensing Options and a Proof of Concept”

Students worked closely with the United States Copyright Office to develop a feasibility study and proof of concept for a web-based, low-friction, copyright licensing and transaction system for photographs.

Download deliverable

2015-2016 Deliverables:

Automated licensing prototypes
White paper
Online licensing database
Report that builds on Winter/Spring 2015 report

Download Deliverable