EFF Asks Congress To Fix Copyright's 'Draconian' Penalties

Congress needs to fix “copyright’s draconian, unpredictable civil penalties,” the Electronic Frontier Foundation said in a blog post Wednesday. “High and unpredictable penalties can make relying on fair use a game of financial Russian roulette for artists and innovators.” EFF promoted Fair Use Week, which includes universities, Authors Alliance and the R Street Institute as participants. “Congress could help fix these problems by clarifying that statutory damages should never apply to a copyright user who relies on a fair use defense in good faith, even if the defense is unsuccessful,” EFF said.