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

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 consumers11 Hereafter, i-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.