PTO Director Urges Congress To Revamp Copyright Statutory Damages Rules

Patent and Trademark Office Director Michelle Lee encouraged Congress Thursday to adopt the Internet Policy Task Force's recommendations for amending U.S. copyright law on statutory damages to address issues that may result in excessive awards. The IPTF included the legislative recommendations in a white paper that also recommended nonlegislative solutions on the first-sale doctrine and the eligibility of remixes to claim fair use protections (see 1601280065). “Creators and users of copyrighted content face many challenges and opportunities online,” Lee said in an opinion piece in The Hill. “Our goal is to ensure that creativity and innovation grow -- and thrive -- today and into the future. We believe the White Paper helps point a path toward that objective.”