I have written previously arguing that it is the responsibility of educators to model and explain copyright issues. I simply do not agree with the position that easy copying makes the practice OK.
Microsoft has just released the results of a survey contending that teens are less likely to violate copyright when made aware of the law.
About half of those teens, however, said they were not familiar with these laws, and only 11 percent of them clearly understood the current rules for downloading images, literature, music, movies and software. Teens who were familiar with downloading rules credited their parents, TV or stories in magazines and newspapers, and Web sites — more so than their schools — as resources for information about illegal downloading.
Part of Microsoft’s strategy is to assist students in developing their own intellectual property and then make a decision regarding usage rights (mybytes – suggestions for teachers). Personalizing the creative process and thinking about how you want others to treat this content is a great idea.
