The aim of this research is to provide a framework for analysing the key legal issues facing new communication technologies. The project aims to analyse the disruption caused by new technologies to established copyright interests and to canvas possible law reform. In 2010, 300 years will have passed since the Statute of Anne first vested copyright in the authors of works and it is therefore appropriate to consider whether copyright law has responded to adequately meet the challenges posed by recent technological innovations. Very little academic writing has been published on the new technologies that the project wishes to consider. In its research this project will redress that.
The new technologies that the research will explore are blogs, podcasts, vodcasts, iPods and wikis. The legal issues raised by these new communication technologies stretch across national boundaries and are of great relevance to Australia and comparable like jurisdictions that are embracing the potential offered by these new technologies. The research aims to provide academic commentary that will illuminate legal policy reform in relation to these new technologies, as well as producing a guide to copyright law issues concerning these new technologies. This guide would build upon the Electronic Frontier Foundation Legal Guide for Bloggers and the Podcasting Legal Guide compiled by Colette Vogele of Vogele & Associates, Mia Garlick of Creative Commons and the Berkman Center Clinical Program in Cyberlaw.
