The Next Big Thing in Copyright? The Induce Act and Contributory Liability

Copyright law has many complexities, including the issue of contributory liability for copyright infringement. The newly proposed Induce Act would hold peer‐​to‐​peer (P2P) providers and portable media device manufacturers liable for copyright infringement if they are found to have induced, aided, or abetted copyright violations by others. What impact would the Induce Act have on the Internet and consumer electronics market? What role should contributory liability play in the future of copyright law? How much responsibility do middlemen bear for policing their networks for “piracy”? And should technology manufacturers be held liable for acts of infringement committed with their devices? Those issues will be discussed by a diverse panel of copyright experts.