Search engines and copyrightCardozo 10 Sep 2007

Jon BingNorwegian Research Center for Computers and Law

First search engine 1995

Another search enginge

Basic information system

Functions of an information system

1. Search function – index

2. Relevance assessment – KWIC, abstract

3. Source function – relative to requirement of domain: For law, authentic document

Outline search engine

Search request – example

Retrieval

Data base

Matching alphabetical file

Search term

Retrieved documents

Problem

Relevance assessment

User

Information system

IndexAddress of term

D/P/S/W

Key-word in context (KWIC)”Snippets” -- Relevance

function for texts

Thumbnails – relevance function for images

Thumbnail quality

Hyperlinks

Link to original site Link to snapshot stored by engine

Possible copyright issues

Copy on which indexing is based

1.Is the extract from the site a ”copy”?2.Importance of robot.txt or similar

commands?User-agent: macrobotDisallow: cat.htm

Copy retained (”cached”)

1. Cached copy relevant in copyright terms2. Is the two different aspects of cached copies relevant for discussion?3. Use for relevance function necessary – included implicit consent4. Use as alternative to original moral rights or competition5. Should rights holder be required to govern situation by metatags or

otherwise

Inverted file: reproduction?

Index file and addresses (”inverted file”) have sufficient information to re-create a reprodction of the original text – relevant legal issue?

Hyperlinks

Link to original site

Link to snapshot stored by engine

Is link to original site an example of ”making the work” available to the public?

Snippet

Link to original site Link to snapshot stored by engine

1. Is snippet a ”citation”?2. Is snippet a reproduction original work?3. Is snippet included implicit consent?

Thumbnails

1. Is thumbnail a ”citation”?2. Is thumbnail a reproduction original work?3. Is thumbnail included implicit consent?

Three possible alternatives

1. Extend rights holder control through formalised statements (”robot.txt”)

2. Rely on implied consent (or fair use)3. Legislative solution

Legislative solution

1. Permit reproduction for indexing2. Permit caching for providing of

snippets only (and low resolution thumbnails)

3. Authorise rights holder controls through formalised statements (like robot.txt or metatags)

4. Sanction lack of compliance with such statements when valid