The Withering Away of Property: The Rise of the Internet Information Commons

Posted: 29 Feb 2008

See all articles by John Cahir

John Cahir

Queen Mary, University of London - Queen Mary Intellectual Property Research Institute (QMIPRI)

Date Written: 2004

Abstract

The phenomenon of volunteer produced and freely disseminated information is a significant feature of the digitally networked environment. Notwithstanding recent expansions of copyright law and the development of rights management technology the Internet remains a platform for the free distribution of information and ideas. This article argues that, contrary to the predictions of enclosure, a flourishing commons exists in respect of information that is communicated via the Internet. The commons, however, remains a relatively under-theorized concept in political and legal theory. This article explores the meaning of 'the commons' and its relationship to property and advances it as a useful explanatory tool for describing free information environments in cyberspace.

Suggested Citation

Cahir, John, The Withering Away of Property: The Rise of the Internet Information Commons ( 2004). Oxford Journal of Legal Studies, Vol. 24, pp. 619-641, 2004, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=815101

John Cahir (Contact Author)

Queen Mary, University of London - Queen Mary Intellectual Property Research Institute (QMIPRI) ( email )

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