Written by Raquel Acosta Edited by Albert Wang and Vicki Blohm Editorial Policy I. Introduction The current copyright framework is becoming obsolete as we try to make a digital world run on an analog legal system. The Copyright Act covers “original works of authorship fixed in any tangible medium of expression, now known or later developed, from which they can be visually perceived, either directly or with the aid of a machine or device.” 17 U.S.C. § 401. The ability of ... Read More...

Written by Katie Booth Edited by Vivian Tao Editorial Policy I. Introduction: Not all data uses are created equal. Google recently introduced a new social networking tool called the Google+ project, which capitalizes on the fact that consumers want more control over whom they share their personal information with online. Google+ allows users to set up separate groups—such as a group for friends, a group for family, and a group for coworkers—and then share different information with each group. This ... Read More...

Written by Matt Gelfand Edited by Harry Zhou Editorial Policy A major criticism of the current copyright system is the overbreadth of the protections it affords, in terms of duration, works covered, and uses covered. With the Copyright Act of 1976 and subsequent international treaties and legislation, copyright has become quasi-permanent, and breadth-limiting formalities such as notice and registration requirements have been eliminated.[1] Virtually any use of the creative expressive content in a work is subject to control by a ... Read More...

It’s once again that time of year: The Digest will be taking a short break from our regular coverage over the coming weeks as our Staff Writers take their spring examinations. While we take our hiatus from regular coverage, we have the pleasure of re-introducing our Comments feature. Comments are longer opinion pieces on especially significant issues. These pieces are written entirely by members of our staff, on topics they believe warrant closer examination and study. From now until the ... Read More...

Greg Tang passed away suddenly on February 7, 2011.  He will be greatly missed by everyone at Harvard Law School.  In his memory, we are republishing his Digest Comment from last semester. – The Digest Staff Intel and the x86 Architecture: A Legal Perspective Written by Greg Tang Edited by Ian Wildgoose Brown Editorial Policy Intel, the world’s largest semiconductor manufacturer, owes its global leadership position to its x86 microprocessors. Intel and its main competitor, Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), command 80.4% and 11.5% ... Read More...