Copyright Overall Proposed By Commerce Dept

A task force from the Department of Commerce has proposed significant changes in U.S. copyright law, specifically with regard to three hot-button issues. The proposal, detailed in a document entitled “White Paper on Remixes, First Sale, and Statutory Damages,” is summarized in The Hill by Michelle K. Lee, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office. The white paper addresses significant changes in how damages would be calculated under the Copyright Act, and a recommendation to clarify that how fair use applies to remixes.