Authors

Mary Ann Shulman

Article Title

Internet Copyright Infringement Liability: Is an Online Access Provider More Like a Landlord or a Dance Hall Operator?

Abstract

This Comment examines the issue of whether an access provider may be found liable for copyright infringement by a bulletin board subscriber. It provides a background of copyright law and policy, discusses traditional legal theories of copyright infringement liability, and analyzes a recent case that, for the first time, directly addressed the issue of an Internet access provider's liability, Religious Technology Center v. Netcom On-Line Communication Services. This Comment discusses the application of the legal principles in Fonovisa v. Cherry Auction to the potential liability of an online access provider. This Comment concludes with a critique proposing that revision of the copyright law is necessary to preserve intellectual property rights without chilling the growth of the Internet.

Recommended Citation

Mary Ann Shulman, Internet Copyright Infringement Liability: Is an Online Access Provider More Like a Landlord or a Dance Hall Operator?, 27 Golden Gate U. L. Rev. (1997).
https://digitalcommons.law.ggu.edu/ggulrev/vol27/iss3/12