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Astonishing Quote by Eben Moglen

“Can a one judge sitting somewhere in a trial court issue an order that says nobody in the world is allowed to have, to use, to improve or to develop software for playing multimedia content without the permission of the manufacturers of the content themselves? .. This is an astonishing development…” quote by Eben Moglen
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“Can a one judge sitting somewhere in a trial court issue an order that says nobody in the world is allowed to have, to use, to improve or to develop software for playing multimedia content without the permission of the manufacturers of the content themselves? .. This is an astonishing development in the course of our understanding of what we call the copyright bargain, the relationship between authors' rights, publishers' leverages and consumers' needs.”

Eben Moglen

About This Quote

Source Essay: "The Copyright Bargain", 2005

Legal restrictions on software for multimedia can stifle innovation and limit consumer freedom.

In simple terms: Copyright can hinder software development.

Key Takeaway

Challenge restrictive software laws.

Themes

innovation freedom law

Mood

critical analytical

Type

legal philosophical

When to use this quote

  • tech startups
  • media streaming
  • open‑source projects

Key Concepts

intellectual property digital rights software development

Questions to Reflect On

  • Should creators be compensated for all uses?
  • How can law protect both creators and users?
A Different Perspective

Balancing creator compensation with user rights is complex.

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