Discussion Business Law and IT

Pick 3 issues and discuss each of them in one to two paragraphs.

There are 5 issues in total. But no need to do all.

Only 3 Issues from 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Thank you.

General Instructions The Discussions (or presentations) should (1) analyze the situation, (2) use analogies and similar cases where possible, (3) mention various possible risks or consequences, etc. Include some discussion of how new technology changes the situation. What advantages or problems result from using it, compared to the old way of doing things? Present the group’s proposals and/or conclusions, supported by arguments.

You will (1) argue against the case, (2) defense the case and (3) evaluate the arguments and decide the case. Present the forum/group’s proposals and/or conclusions, supported by arguments.

Or some issues, just answer the questions it asks.

1.TopicAmt1(5 pts): Protecting or infringing copyright? 🍀

A Web site hosts written works posted by authors. Some people post copyrighted work by other authors without permission. When an author asks the site to remove such material, the site complies and adds the work to its filter database to prevent reposting without permission. An author sues the site claiming the site infringes her copyright by storing her work.

Issue 1: Argue the author’s case.

Issue 2: Argue the site’s defense.

Issue 3: Evaluate the arguments and decide the case.

2.TopicAmt2 (5 pts): (Section)Turnitin.com lawsuit🍀

A U.S. appeals court ruled that turnitin.com does not infringe copyright on student term papers when it stores the papers to compare them against others to detect plagiarism. The court ruled that this use is a fair use. It did not matter whether or not an instructor had the student’s permission to submit the papers. (April 2009)

3.TopicAmt3 (5 pts): (Section) Trademarked search terms 🍀 The practice of selling search terms raises intellectual property issues for trademarks. Business pay search-engine companies such as Google and Yahoo to display the business’s ads when a user enters specific search terms. What if a business “buys” the name of another company or some of its products? Users searching for one company will see its competitor’s ads. A company that makes software for learning foreign languages (Rosetta Stone) is suing another several other companies (including Rocket Languages) over this issue. (July 27, 2008)

4.TopicAmt4 (5 pts): (Section) Free art🍀

The Free Software movement inspired a project of the Berkeley Art Museum. The museum provides digital artworks online with their source files and allows people to download and modify the art.

5.TopicAmt5 (5 pts): (Section) Copyright protection for open source. 🍀 A federal appeals court upheld copyright protection for open-source software. The court said a person who distributes open-source software can sue for an injunction against someone who uses the software for commercial products without following the open-source licensing agreement. (The case involves model train software distributed by Robert Jacobsen.) (Aug. 14, 2008)

Pick 3 issues and discuss each of them in one to two
paragraphs.
There are 5 issues in total. But no need to do all.
Only 3 Issues from 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Thank you.
General Instructions
The Discussions (or presentations) should (1) analyze the situation, (2) use analogies
and similar cases where possible, (3) mention various possible risks or
consequences, etc. Include some discussion of how new technology changes the
situation. What advantages or problems result from using it, compared to the old way
of doing things? Present the group’s proposals and/or conclusions, supported by
arguments.
You will (1) argue against the case, (2) defense the case and (3) evaluate the
arguments and decide the case. Present the forum/group’s proposals and/or
conclusions, supported by arguments.
Or some issues, just answer the questions it asks.
1.TopicAmt1(5 pts): Protecting or infringing copyright?
A Web site hosts written works posted by authors. Some people post copyrighted
work by other authors without permission. When an author asks the site to remove
such material, the site complies and adds the work to its filter database to prevent
reposting without permission. An author sues the site claiming the site infringes her
copyright by storing her work.
Issue 1: Argue the author’s case.
Issue 2: Argue the site’s defense.
Issue 3: Evaluate the arguments and decide the case.
2.TopicAmt2 (5 pts): (Section)Turnitin.com lawsuit
A U.S. appeals court ruled that turnitin.com does not infringe copyright on student
term papers when it stores the papers to compare them against others to detect
plagiarism. The court ruled that this use is a fair use. It did not matter whether or not
an instructor had the student’s permission to submit the papers. (April 2009)
3.TopicAmt3 (5 pts): (Section) Trademarked search terms
The practice of selling search terms raises intellectual property issues for trademarks.
Business pay search-engine companies such as Google and Yahoo to display the
business’s ads when a user enters specific search terms. What if a business “buys”
the name of another company or some of its products? Users searching for one
company will see its competitor’s ads. A company that makes software for learning
foreign languages (Rosetta Stone) is suing another several other companies
(including Rocket Languages) over this issue. (July 27, 2008)
4.TopicAmt4 (5 pts): (Section) Free art
The Free Software movement inspired a project of the Berkeley Art Museum. The
museum provides digital artworks online with their source files and allows people to
download and modify the art.
5.TopicAmt5 (5 pts): (Section) Copyright protection for open source.
A federal appeals court upheld copyright protection for open-source software. The
court said a person who distributes open-source software can sue for an injunction
against someone who uses the software for commercial products without following
the open-source licensing agreement. (The case involves model train software
distributed by Robert Jacobsen.) (Aug. 14, 2008)