IGF 2012, Workshop 137: How do we ensure the future of creative content online?

Professor Ian Brown examines content and IP regulation at the 2012 Internet Governance Forum in Baku, Azerbaijan. Brown comments that the main challenge regarding creative content will be one of equity – ensuring that it is evenly and more broadly distributed. According to Brown, a main impediment to realising the vision of the Internet as a ‘celestial jukebox’, whereby all content ever created can become available to anyone interested in it, remains determining how to ensure that creators are properly remunerated for their work. He suggests that reforming copyright licensing in the EU will help reduce fragmentation in the market for creative work. As Brown claims that studies commissioned thus far on the topic are biased, he recommends gathering better data for evidence-based policymaking.