Copyright on the Digital Network

Abstract

This article examines copyright in the digital network environment, where information can be published, copied, and circulated globally with unprecedented speed and reach. The author highlights the legal, ethical, and technical challenges created by this environment, particularly in relation to the protection of digital works. The article discusses the difficulty of regulating the Internet due to its open structure and the multiplicity of actors involved, then reviews areas requiring protection, including privacy, information security, intellectual property, and the prevention of unauthorized exploitation of protected works. It also considers different approaches to regulation and protection, such as legislation, technological tools, and self-regulation by institutions and users. The article further analyzes copyright on the Internet in light of the ease of copying and distributing books and digital materials beyond traditional publishing frameworks. It emphasizes the tension between advocates of open access to knowledge and the rights of authors, publishers, and commercial entities, concluding that digital copyright protection requires a balanced approach that safeguards both access to knowledge and authors’ moral and economic rights.