Impacts of indirect liability regulation of intermediaries of copyright-infringing content on the internet
| Autor | Ana María Pineda Cely |
| Cargo | Abogada de la Universidad Externado de Colombia y especialista en Derecho Comercial de la misma casa de estudios. Magíster en Derecho Comercial de la Universidad de Melbourne, Australia. Becaria Colfuturo. Bogotá, D. C. (Colombia). Contacto: apinedacely@student.unimelb.edu.au. Fecha de recepción: 21 de febrero de 2022. Fecha de aceptación: 21... |
| Páginas | 169-203 |
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abstract
The Internet Services Intermediaries play an essential role in discussing the free-
dom of speech, innovation1 and economic growth in the digital environment2.
In the arena of the intellectual property policy, the emerging regulation on the
indirect liability held by them3 has faced the challenge of adequate its system not
only for preserving the interest of the copyright owners but also for promoting
the accessibility to the digital recourses.
In this analysis, two aspects deserve special attention: The increasing legal risk
faced by the intermediaries due to the legal fragmentation and the legal measures
that may limit freedom in the digital environment.
Keywords: Internet Services Intermediaries; Copyright Infringement; Digital Infor-
mation; Safe Harbour Liability; Digital Trade; Digital Barriers; Indirect Liability.
* Abogada de la Universidad Externado de Colombia y especialista en Derecho Comercial
de la misma casa de estudios. Magíster en Derecho Comercial de la Universidad de Mel-
bourne, Australia. Becaria Colfuturo. Bogotá, D. C. (Colombia). Contacto: apinedacely@
student.unimelb.edu.au. Fecha de recepción: 21 de febrero de 2022. Fecha de aceptación:
21 de abril de 2022. Para citar el artículo: Pineda Cely, Ana María. “Impacts of indirect
liability regulation of intermediaries in copyright-infringing content on the internet”, en
Revista La Propiedad Inmaterial n.° 33, Universidad Externado de Colombia, enero-junio
2022, pp. 169-203. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18601/16571959.n33.07
1 World Bank. World Development Report 2016: Digital Dividends. The World Bank,
2016, p. 10.
2 Savola, Pekka. “Proportionality of Website Blocking: Internet Connectivity Provid-
ers as Copyright Enforcers”. Journal of Intellectual Property, Information Technology and
Electronic Commerce Law, vol. 5, n.° 2, 2014, pp. 116-138, p. 116.
3 Shalika, Chamani. “Online Copyright Infringement and the Liability of Internet
Service Providers”. SSRN Electronic Journal, October 4, 2019.
impacts of indirect liability
regulation of intermediaries
in copyright-infringing content
on the internet
170
.º 33 - -ju 2022 - . 169 - 203
Ana María Pineda Cely
los impactos de la regulación en materia
de la responsabilidad indirecta en cabeza
de los intermediarios de servicios de internet por el uso
de contenidos que violan los derechos de autor
resumen
Los Intermediarios de Servicios de Internet juegan un papel esencial en la discusión
entre la libertad de expresión, la innovación4 y el crecimiento económico en el
entorno digital5. En el ámbito de la política de Propiedad Intelectual, la regula-
ción sobre la responsabilidad indirecta que asumen los intermediarios se enfrenta
al desafío lograr preservar el interés de los titulares de los derechos de autor, pero
también promover la accesibilidad a los recursos digitales.
En este análisis, dos aspectos merecen especial atención. El riesgo al que se
enfrentan los intermediarios como consecuencia de la fragmentación legal y las
medidas legales que pueden limitar libertades en el entorno digital.
Palabras clave: intermediarios de servicios de internet; infracciones de derechos
de autor; información digital; responsabilidad de puerto seguro; comercio digital;
barreras digitales; responsabilidad indirecta.
introduction
The access to the internet and the development of the digital economies have
brought immense public and private benefits in terms of inclusion, efficiency
and innovation on a global scale6. Indeed, this global access to the internet has
helped increase a whole digital revolution that provides positive impacts by easing
communication and free flow of information, which generates faster growth of
the economy worldwide and brings enormous social benefits.
However, the rapid spread of digital technologies has reflected fundamental
challenges in many aspects of the current legal system7. In fact, in the arena of
copyright protection, various issues arise because technology easies copyright
infringement activities as any user can easily upload and/or download copyright
4 World Bank, World Development Report 2016: Digital Dividends, op. cit., p. 10.
5 Savola, “Proportionality of Website Blocking: Internet Connectivity Providers as
Copyright Enforcers”, op. cit., p. 116.
6 World Bank, World Development Report 2016: Digital Dividends, op. cit., p. 10.
7 Lillà Montagnani, Maria and Yordanova Trapova, Alina. “Safe Harbours in Deep
Waters: A New Emerging Liability Regime for Internet Intermediaries in the Digital
Single Market”. International Journal of Law and Information Technology, vol. 26, n.° 4,
2018, pp. 294-310, p. 296.
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.º 33 - -ju 2022 - . 169 - 203
impacts of indirect liability regulation of intermediaries
in copyright-infringing content on the internet
material8. More importantly, in this scenario, sanctioning every infringement
action is costly, time-consuming, and in the majority of cases, it is impossible9.
In this discussion, Internet Intermediaries are important actors because they
develop essential internet access activities and are a crucial medium in the flow of
digital information, which may facilitate the dissemination of copyright content in
the digital space10. Therefore, to safeguard the rights and interests of the copyright
holders, legislature schemes have increased the penalties and extended the scope
of responsibility rules on all the internet services providers11. However, these mea-
sures undermine the free access to the information, which damages the copyright
regime’s public purpose by pushing over-censorship and discouraging innovation12.
The U.S. has implemented a balanced model of regulation regarding the lia-
bility of Internet Intermediaries in which the liability exemptions known as “the
safe harbour” are crucial. Indeed, as it will be shown later on, the U.S. proposals
are focused on promoting digital trade and supporting a ‘market-driven, open,
interoperable internet under a multi-stakeholder system’13. Consequently, these
policies have influenced many jurisdictions (such as the European Union’s case) and
have been developed through free trade agreements (FTA) such as the USMCA.
The present article analyses this matter in three parts: Part I identifies specific
concepts related to the intermediaries and studies the importance of having ba-
lanced legislature schemes in order to avoid the creation of digital barriers. Part
II describes and assesses the impact of the most notably approaches at a national
level in this matter that is the U.S. Digital Millennium Copyright Act (1998)
(DMCA) and the European Union Copyright Directive (EUCD). Additionally,
Part II analyses the state of the law on an international scale, focused on the FTA
of the U.S. and the essential contributions of these FTA worldwide. Finally, Part
III concludes with an overall evaluation of the legal measures introduced by the
European Union and the United States in order to present further recommenda-
tions. However, as illustrated below, as the international treaties do not directly
address ISP liability, and many jurisdictions adapt their strategies, the ISP have
been forced to face significant uncertainty regarding their liability. Consequently,
the final recommendation is to discuss a proposal of a global forum focused on
setting minimum standards to reduce this aspect.
8 May, Christopher. “Commodifying the Information Age: Intellectual Property Rights,
the State and the Internet” SCRIPTed. A Journal of Law, Technology and Society, vol. 1,
n.° 3, 2004, pp. 408-419, p. 4.
9 Ibid.
10 Savola, “Proportionality of Website Blocking: Internet Connectivity Providers as
Copyright Enforcers”, op. cit., p. 116.
11 Ibid., p. 294.
12 Ibid., p. 116.
13 United States, JointStatement on Electronic Commerce, WTO INF/ECOM/5,
March 25, 2019 quoted in Congressional Research Service, Internet Regimes and WTO
E-Commerce Negotiations (No R46198, 2020), p. 19.
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