Judiciary Committee Wants Software Copyright Report

At the end of a speech to the American Intellectual Property Law Association, US Register of Copyrights Maria Pallante revealed that she’d received a letter from the Senate Judiciary Committee asking the Copyright Office to study and report back on a number of software copyright issues. According to the letter, many questions are being asked about how consumers can lawfully use products that rely on software to function. Pallante previewed the questions that the Copyright Office will be putting to the public, some of which will be: Whether the design, distribution and legitimate use of products are being enabled or frustrated by the application of copyright law to software in everyday products; whether innovative services are being enabled or frustrated by the application of copyright law to software in everyday products; and to what extent legitimate interests or business models for copyright owners and users could be undermined or improved by changes to copyright laws.