Who owns the future? When disruption becomes destruction

Here at the NLA we know from personal experience that the debate around copyright can get bogged down in debates over the minutiae of a particular piece of copyright law – and forget the big picture as to why NLA web licenses are necessary.

Therefore our recommended reading for March is a new book called ‘Who Owns The Future’ by Silicon Valley pioneer Jaron Lanier.   As Lanier points out the digital revolution has brought incredible short term benefits to consumers and wealth to tech entrepreneurs, but there are also huge risks attached.

There is a fine line between disruptive technology which opens up new markets, and destructive technology, which ultimately damages the wider economy.  Respect for copyright, and the NLA’s efforts to seek a fair return for newspaper publishers content are part of the safety net that ensures the internet is to the benefit of all.

For more on this, read the thoughtful review by Evening Standard journalist Andrew Neather.

David Pugh

Managing Director, NLA