I chose to write this essay about the implications of copyright law on free speech because of its relevance to modern society. The question of how to best enforce copyright restrictions has become a key issue in our increasingly digital world, where highly advanced, easy to use methods of copyright infringement are readily available. While writing this essay, I was constantly confronted with varying ideas of where the copyright line should be drawn. These were interesting to me because I have to deal with issues such as illegally downloading music, decryption of DVDs and CDs, and use of copyrighted materials in an educational setting. Studying these topics, I found myself not only writing a paper, but looking at my own thoughts on the subject and how I treat it in my life. The arguments on both sides of the debate did more than just contribute to my paper. They also gave me new insight into a deep and complex issue, and I can now utilize this knowledge in my everyday life.
When it comes to revisions I would make if I were to write another draft, the first thing I would do is more research. There is a vast amount of further information on the subject available, especially in the realm of music downloading through programs such as Limewire, which I did not have the opportunity to really address. In addition, I feel that I could have gone further in developing the arguments of how the DMCA has worked correctly to protect free speech. There was a lot more about the two cases I mention that could have been said and discussed to further the argument for the value of the DMCA. The last major revision I would make is expanding on the examples of the music industry using the DMCA to obstruct technological advancement. Due to time limitations, I was able to find several examples and briefly summarize them, but further development of these incidents would strengthen my arguments.
BENJAMIN P. COHEN is a biomedical engineering major in the Boston University College of Engineering. A member of the class of 2013, Ben comes to Boston from the town of Niskayuna, NY, located just north of Albany. Ben is an active member of the BU Hillel and plays on the club Ultimate Frisbee team, the Ozone Pilots. Ben plays guitar, is an avid moviegoer, and closely follows baseball and football. Ben would like to thank his family for helping him get to BU, Professor Queen for his help with the paper in Writing 150, and the rest of his teachers and professors for their contributions to his education. This essay was written for Bradley Queen’s course, WR 150: The First Amendment.