In recent comments filed with the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Intellectual Property, Engine emphasized the importance of copyright fair use and urged that it continue to be protected and permitted online. Fair use is an essential component of copyright law that allows creators and users to engage in certain authorized uses of copyright content, which is important because overly-rigid application of copyright law could otherwise stifle innovation and creativity. And as we explain in the letter, startup platforms in particular benefit from balanced copyright law because they are able to serve users and creators who rely on fair use without having to worry about potentially ruinous copyright infringement litigation.
Today the Senate’s IP Subcommittee is holding a hearing about fair use and the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (“DMCA”). In connection with that hearing, our letter explains how for startups and smaller online service providers (OSPs), it is critical that Congress factor the importance of fair use into any evaluation of copyright law, and we encourage Congress not to entertain any changes to the DMCA which could restrict fair use.
You can read our full comments here.
