The digitizing of intellectual property and the ease and speed with which it can be copied, transmitted, and globally shared poses legal challenges for traditional owners of content rights, for those who create new media, and for those who consume new media content. This informative and accessible introductory text, written for students of media and communication, provides a comprehensive overview of the complex legal landscape surrounding new media and intellectual property rights. The authors present theoretical backgrounds, legislative developments, and legal case histories in intellectual property law. Copyright, patents, trademarks, trade secrets, personal torts (rights of publicity, defamation, privacy) are examined in U.S., international, and virtual contexts. Suitable as a primary text for courses focusing on intellectual property law in multimedia/new media, this book will also be useful for courses in media law. The information presented in the book is supplemented by freeforafee.com, a blog providing updates to students and instructors alike. A glossary of key terms is also provided.

Autorentext

The Authors: Edward Lee Lamoureux is Associate Professor of Multimedia and Communication at Bradley University. He received a Ph.D. in rhetoric and communication from the University of Oregon. He has testified as an expert in Library of Congress-sponsored intellectual property law hearings, has served as the editor of the Journal of Communication and Religion, and has published and presented numerous academic papers.
Steven L. Baron is a partner at the Chicago law firm of Mandell Menkes. He received his J.D. from the University of Minnesota. He is a frequent author and lecturer on topics involving media and intellectual property and is an adjunct professor at Bradley University, teaching a course on intellectual property law at the Slane College of Communications and Fine Arts.
Claire Stewart is Head of Digital Collections at the Northwestern University Library. She holds a B.A. in English Literature from Saint Mary's College, and an M.L.I.S. from Dominican University. She is a campus expert on copyright, digitization, and multimedia collections.