The Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA) has released an economic study that calculates the value of industries that depend on exceptions to copyright law. The 2011 study, 'Fair Use in the US Economy,' commissioned by the Computer & Communications Industry Association, incorporates data from 2008 and 2009. It found that despite the economic downturn, industries that rely on fair use exceptions to copyright law like technology and the news media remained steady compared to the rest of the US economy.
According to Congressman Jared Polis, this study comes as Congress is considering various legislations, including the PROTECT IP Act, which would strengthen copyright enforcement, while 'weakening the underpinnings of the Internet.' Polis praised the study for bringing numbers to help balance the debate on copyright enforcement measures.
Using the latest publicly available data (2009), and adapting a methodology developed by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) this study found that in 2008 and 2009, fair use industries - those industries that depend upon fair use and related limitations to copyright - generated revenue averaging $4.6 trillion, a 35 percent increase over 2002 revenue of $3.4 billion. Fair use-related industry 'value added' to the US economy averaged $2.4 trillion, approximately 17 percent of total US current dollar GDP - roughly one-sixth of the economy.
In addition, the study noted that the fair use economy is vast, employing 17 million people, or approximately one in eight US workers. It generated a payroll averaging $1.2 trillion in 2008-2009, compared to $895 billion in 2002. Exports of goods and services related to fair use industries increased by 64 percent between 2002 and 2009, from $179 billion to $266 billion.
Search for more Industry study reports
To access our daily STM news feed through your iPhone, iPad, or other smartphones, please visit www.myscoope.com for a mobile friendly reading experience.
