The article highlights how copyright laws, particularly with high statutory damages and the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, empower copyright owners to stifle free expression. Many individuals and researchers are deterred from speaking out or sharing their work due to the fear of legal repercussions and financial ruin. Copyright has evolved from a tool for government control over publishers to a means for powerful private entities to maintain dominance, stifling competition and diverse ideas in the creative landscape.
When a blockbuster entertainment product inspires people to tell their own stories by depicting themselves in the same world or costumes, a letter from the studio's lawyers will usually convince them to stay silent.
Most would-be speakers back down in the face of such risks, no matter how legitimate their use.
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