[RoC0002] Copyright System Update: The Incompatibility of Traditional Copyright with Modern Society

[Reason of Culture 0002] The Incompatibility of Traditional Copyright Concepts with Modern Society 1. Historical Evolution of Copyright Copyright concepts originated in an era of physical reproduction, such as hand-copying and the Gutenberg press. The first formal legislation, the "Statute of Anne" (1710) in the UK, shifted control from publishers to authors, balancing individual rights with the public interest. This was followed by the U.S. Copyright Act (1790) and the Berne Convention (1886), which established international standards for automatic protection without registration. 2. Challenges in the Digital Age Throughout the 20th century, new technologies like photography, radio, and video recorders (exemplified by the 1984 Sony Betamax case) forced legal adaptations. However, the 21st-century digital revolution has reduced reproduction costs to near zero, rendering traditional concepts based on "physical scarcity" obsolete. Current mechanisms like the DMCA and Digital Rights Management (DRM) often lead to over-censorship and tension between creators, users, and platforms. 3. Proposed Systemic Reforms The article argues for urgent institutional changes to bridge the gap between digital reality and law. Key proposals include: Digital Exhaustion: Allowing the resale or transfer of legally purchased digital copies to create a secondary market. Flexible Exceptions: Expanding fair use and refining intermediary liability. New Revenue Mechanisms: Designing systems that protect consumer rights while ensuring fair compensation for creators. 4. The Importance of Literacy and Education Systemic reform alone is insufficient; a holistic approach to "Copyright Literacy" is essential. This includes: Integrated Skills: Combining digital, information, ethical, and metadata literacy. Generational Strategies: * Older Generations: Focus on operational support and reducing psychological barriers to digital tools. Younger Generations: Implementing mandatory school education, gamified learning, and leveraging social media influencers to internalize copyright awareness as a natural part of digital behavior. Conclusion To sustain culture in the digital era, society must move beyond outdated physical models. Success depends on a combination of modernized legal frameworks and a widespread, multi-layered educational effort that empowers every citizen to navigate copyright responsibly. [Note] This video was created by using NotebookLM’s automated generation feature to adapt an article originally published on note / Medium.