Compare and Contrast Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Compare and Contrast - Essay Example Facebook and Google, two of the IT big companies that have considered investing in the UK, admitted to the PM that it would have been difficult for them to have started their companies in the UK because of its stringent IP laws. Aside from the fair-use provision, UK is also considering eliminating some of the present provisions of its copyright laws that present an unfriendly barrier to internet-based businesses (BBC Mobile 2010). The fair use doctrine that PM Cameron referred to is set out under ss. 107 to 118 of the US Copyright Law or Title 17 of the US Code. This doctrine presents an exception to the exclusive right of copyright owners to reproduce their respective work covered by the Copyright Law. These excepted circumstances usually cover activities such as â€Å"criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research† (The Library of Congress). However, the US Copyright Law provides more room for infringement exceptions because unlike the UK law, it doe s not enumerate the circumstances under which the infringement is allowed, but rather provides a generally worded four-factor test for the courts to determine the infringement exceptions.