The dilemma of information consumers’ protection under the copyright law: the problem and possible reforms

ABSTRACT Several laws and conventions regulate the relationship between the producers and distributors of good and services and the consumers; their main objective is to protect the consumer against being taken advantage when dealing with professionals. However, protection of copyright or information consumers is handled through the copyright laws, although such laws are formulated to protect the rights holders, not the i-consumers. Hence, this study investigates the status of i-consumers under the copyright law and the difficulties they encounter, especially in light of technological developments affecting i-consumers’ rights and the spread of information. It examines three areas: (1) the problem of protecting the i-consumer under the copyright law, (2) ways in which the emergence of technological techniques affects such protection, and (3) the need to implement i-consumer protection in the copyright law and the role that the legislature, the judiciary, and the jurists can play in achieving this goal.