MVV388K Comparative Digital Copyright Law

Faculty of Law
Autumn 2023
Extent and Intensity
0/1/0. 3 credit(s). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).
Teacher(s)
Dr. Péter Mezei (seminar tutor), doc. JUDr. Matěj Myška, Ph.D. (deputy)
doc. JUDr. Matěj Myška, Ph.D. (seminar tutor)
Mgr. Petr Kalenský (assistant)
Guaranteed by
doc. JUDr. Matěj Myška, Ph.D.
Faculty of Law
Contact Person: Mgr. Věra Redrupová, B.A.
Supplier department: Faculty of Law
Timetable of Seminar Groups
MVV388K/01: Thu 7. 12. 10:00–11:40 041, 12:00–13:40 041, 14:00–15:40 041, Fri 8. 12. 8:00–9:40 041, 10:00–11:40 041
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.

The capacity limit for the course is 30 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 22/30, only registered: 0/30
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
This course provides the students a practice-oriented analysis of the norms and policy considerations of digital copyright law. The comparative legal aspect allows the students to understand the major differences between the various legal systems in order to be able to study or criticize the different legal solutions. This approach will help the students to use European and international copyright law rules in their future career, and to undertake independent research on the subject, using both traditional and internet resources.
Learning outcomes
A successful candidate of this course should:
- have a firm knowledge and understanding of the EU and US digital copyright law;
- be able to develop an advanced understanding of the subject through independent research using traditional and internet resources;
- be able to speak in public (the Socratic method of case law analysis will need the students to answer several questions);
- be able to demonstrate the intellectual skills of evaluating critically the regulations of different copyright regimes.
Syllabus
  • In the frames of the course the lecturer focuses on several “hot potatoes” related to copyright law, especially its operation in the digital domain. The digital society has gone through significant changes recently, and the class allows students to understand these dynamics of copyright law.
  • (1) The symbiotic development of copyright law, technology and social needs; introduction to comparative digital copyright law
  • Readings:
  • - The Authors’ Guild, et al., v. Google Inc., 804 F.3d 202 (2015);
  • - InfoSoc Directive (2001/29/EC), Article 5(2)(c); Orphan Works Directive (2012/28/EU), Article 6; and CDSM Directive (EU) 2019/790, Article 6-9;
  • - Case C-367/15, OTK v SFP, Court of Justice of the European Union, 25 January 2017, ECLI:EU:C:2017:36 (https://curia.europa.eu/juris/liste.jsf?num=C-367/15);
  • - U.S. Copyright Act: 17 U.S.C. §411, 412, 504 & 505 (available at https://www.copyright.gov/title17/).
  • (2) Exhaustion / first sale doctrine – from tangible to sustainable?
  • Readings:
  • - Case C-128/11, UsedSoft GmbH v. Oracle International Corp., Court of Justice of the European Union, 3 July 2012, ECLI:EU:C:2012:407 (https://curia.europa.eu/juris/liste.jsf?num=C-128/11);
  • - Case C-263/18, Nederlands Uitgeversverbond and Groep Algemene Uitgevers v Tom Kabinet Internet BV and Others, Court of Justice of the European Union, 19 December 2012, ECLI:EU:C:2019:1111 (https://curia.europa.eu/juris/liste.jsf?num=C-263/18); Capitol Records, LLC, v. Redigi Inc., 910 F.3d 649 (2018).
  • (3) Musical sampling as a form of artistic self-expression (and a possible copyright infringement?)
  • Readings:
  • - Tufamerica, Inc., v. WB Music Corp., et. al., 67 F.Supp.3d 590 (2014);
  • - VMG Salsoul, LLC, v. Madonna Louise Ciccone, et. al., 824 F.3d 871 (2016);
  • - Case C-476/17, Pelham GmbH, Moses Pelham, Martin Haas v. Ralf Hütter, Florian Schneider-Esleben, Court of Justice of the European Union, 29 July 2019, ECLI:EU:C:2019:624 (https://curia.europa.eu/juris/liste.jsf?num=C-476/17).
  • (4) Copyright liability in the platform age – from P2P file-sharing to content moderation
  • Readings:
  • - Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc., et. al., v. Gary Fung, et. al., 710 F.3d 1020 (2013);
  • - Case C-610/15, Stichting Brein v Ziggo BV and XS4All Internet BV, Judgment of the Court, 14 June 2017, ECLI:EU:C:2017:456 (https://curia.europa.eu/juris/liste.jsf?num=c-610-15);
  • - CDSM Directive, Article 17;
  • - Case C-401/19, Republic of Poland v European Parliament and Council of the European Union, Court of Justice of the European Union, 26 April 2022, ECLI:EU:C:2022:297 (https://curia.europa.eu/juris/liste.jsf?num=C-401/19).
Literature
  • See Syllabus for full details.
Teaching methods
During the module the lecturer focuses on primary sources and court decisions, and uses heavily the Socratic method. Consequently, it requires activity from the students through case analysis and discussion of legal problems.
Assessment methods
• On-going assessment, through active classroom participation (including preparation and attendance, and active participation in the case law analysis) 50%, and
• Written exam (home assignment) 50%.
Language of instruction
English
Further Comments
Study Materials
The course is taught only once.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2023, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/law/autumn2023/MVV388K