Stealing from the Internet
Discover how Jewish Law is meeting the Challenges of Cyberspace
LSJS Jan – Mar 2012
From the LSJS Website:
The Internet and the inexorable growth of modern technology have produced some fraught and fascinating dilemmas for Jewish law.
Just what exactly do modern halachists have to say about issues of copyright law in cyberspace?
What are their sometimes controversial rulings on software pirating, downloading music and surfing the Net using a neighbour’s connection?
Find out what the law is about automated commerce on Shabbat and shared ownership in shady businesses.
Explore the possibilities when it comes to balancing religious obligations with the modern realities of Internet commerce.
On this course you will:
Consider whether halachah recognises intellectual property and other intangibles
Examine an acrimonious copyright dispute that made Jewish legal history
Discuss how halachah views the ‘pirating’ of music, videos and software
Wrestle with the ‘eBay dilemma’ – the auction that ends on Shabbat
Compare a man convicted of ‘piggy-backing’ on a Wi-Fi connection with his 3rd-century counterpart
Course Outline
Session 1: Introduction to Copyright and Intellectual Property
