IP Outreach Research > IP Use and Awareness
Reference
| Title: | The Good, the Bad and the Confusing: User-Generated Video Creators on Copyright |
| Author: | Patricia Aufderheide [American University] and Peter Jaszi [Washington College of Law] |
| Source: | AU School of Communication |
| Year: | 2007 |
Details
| Subject/Type: | IP Knowledge |
| Focus: | Copyright |
| Country/Territory: | United States of America |
| Objective: | To find out how creators of content on the plethora of sites that accept online video understand their rights and responsibilities regarding intellectual property. |
| Sample: | 51 undergraduate and graduate college students who upload videos online |
| Methodology: | Online survey, phone/instant messaging interviews |
Main Findings
Students incorporating copyrighted material into their own work do so as part of routine creative practice: 58% of respondents admit to using copyrighted material in videos they upload to the Internet. 87% of those incorporating copyrighted content make no attempt to ask permission from rightholders, even though three in four of them believe that it is fair to pay people for use.
Ignorance about copyright is widespread: 54% of makers surveyed report that they do not understand when it is permissible to use copyrighted materials at all. While 76% believe that the fair use doctrine permits them to use copyrighted materials, none of the interviewees was able to describe this doctrine accurately. Regarding their own creations, 74% affirm that owning copyright is important to them. However, just 56% think that they own copyright to their online videos.
Respondents try to palliate their misinformation and underinformation about copyright law by establishing binary oppositions between good and bad behaviour – they consider the use of copyrighted materials legitimate: in private life, for example to fuel their friendship networks (but not in public life); for non-commercial purposes (but not for commercial purposes); if use is “helpful” to rightholders, for example by giving them public exposure, advertising (but not if it “hurts” rightholders); and if credit/recognition is given.
The study’s authors emphasise the “need for better general understanding of the use rights of creators, in order to create a more stable and useful framework within which new creation can flourish. Both media producers and providers of online platforms for user-generated production need to participate in this broadening of understanding of the use rights of creators”.
[Date Added: Dec 1, 2008 ]