Blockchain technology implications on digital copyright and neighboring rights: possible ways of applications, advantages for rightsholders protection and enforcement challenges

Abstract

The thesis objective is to assess blockchain technology implications on rightsholders’ exclusive rights protection and enforcement in the digital environment. The Master thesis explores blockchain potential to limit existing structural and operational deficiencies of DRM systems caused either due to regulation, business decisions, or technical reasons and study possible applications of blockchain technology for increasing rightsholders’ control over digital works placed on the Internet and for contributing to more direct digital copyright and related rights protection, management and enforcement in the digital environment. The research shows that blockchain technology may to certain extent eliminate deficiencies associated with current DRM systems, especially, reduce online piracy, circumvention activities against TPMs, increase rightsholders’ control over original digital works and every copy placed on the digital environment and in some exclusive rights enforcement aspects enable more direct relationships between rightsholders and content users, hence limiting the impact of intermediaries involved in digital content distribution and rightsholders’ rights administration. Author, having regard to the core technical characteristics of blockchain technology, assesses possible adjustments to current digital copyright and related rights regulation and potential regulatory approaches in light of effective rightsholders rights protection and enforcement.