Peer-to-Peer File Sharing and Copyright Law after Napster
General IP Issues
3/8/2001; 7:57:01 PM

'This piece is meant as a general explanation of the U.S. copyright law principles most relevant to P2P file-sharing technologies. It is aimed primarily at:

• 'Developers of core P2P file-sharing technology, such as the underlying protocols, platform tools, and specific client implementations;
• 'Developers of ancillary services that depend upon or add value to P2P file-sharing networks, such as providers of search, security, metadata aggregation, and other services;
• 'Investors seeking to evaluate the potential copyright risks associated with the various ventures listed above.

'The following discussion is meant as a general introduction, and thus occasionally glosses over some of copyright law’s more subtle nuances. At the most basic level, it is aimed not at giving you all the answers, but rather at allowing you to recognize the right questions to ask your lawyers.'