Towards a Balanced Digital Content Market

There is no gain saying that the Internet has, and is still, benefiting mankind through digital evolution. The world has become smaller and digitally obsessed. Economically, some analysts are of the view that the Internet has rich economic opportunities if properly utilized. On the other hand is the view that though the internet has been a tool for social engineering, it has created a form of economic monopoly in the digital market.

Contents ( for instance music, clips, photos, etc.) on the Internet are Intellectual Properties capable of benefiting the creator(s) financially. However, free on-line culture has created a monopoly in the digital market where the tech companies enjoy the benefits leaving creators of content with little or no reward.

A balanced digital market should be such a system where ordinary users can get paid when they contribute or add value to contents in the digital networks.

WIPO's Director General, Francis Gurry at the "Conference on the Global Digital Content Market" held in Geneva on April 21, 2016, while outlining the rising stakes for creators and consumers as new technologies create mass audiences but disrupt business models said, "this is an exciting and fascinating evolution, with fundamental implications for cultural production in the 21st century… the same features of technology that have produced enormous benefits for consumers have also presented multiple challenges for creators and their business associates…."

Emphasizing the role of copyright in the digital market evolution, Mr Gurry said, "Copyright is the central mechanism in the creation of the market for creative works- if you like, the dominant interface between the world of creativity and the economy. It is the means by which the market exchange of creative work occurs. As such, it is also the principal means for the financing of the production of creative works, enabling the creator to control the commercial exploitation of her works, thereby returning economic value to the creator and ensuring livelihood for the individual creator, and economic sustainability for the creative industries."

On towards a balanced digital market, Aced writer, Composer and Tech futurist, Jaron Lanier proposed in the same conference, "a universal data-right system" that would log all data contributions on the Internet by ordinary users, track the usage of these data and direct micro-payments back to the point of origin…. 'people have to feel that they are part of a social contract in which they will benefit, as well as spending money. We can't expect people to only pay, pay, pay and never benefit from the Internet,"

Balancing this digital market should also apply to TV channels (especially in Nigeria). With the growing trend of "i-Reports" where the most captivating photos or clips uploaded by viewers are aired, creators of such i-reports or uploads should in turn gain financial benefits for their copyrighted works. Streaming platforms are not left out. Digital evolution should be fair in this respect. Creators, Consumers, and Contributors to works in the revolutionist Internet-digital platform should also benefit from their intellectual exertion. The chain in the intellectual property economy should, and by law, be balanced.

Written by:

Barr. Harvey A. Anyalewechi

(an ardent IP researcher)

lordharveys@gmail.com

All rights reserved.

(Credits: WIPO newsletter, 21/04/2016)