INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS' LIABILITY FOR ONLINE COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT: THE US APPROACH.

The Internet is an outstanding channel to exchange information and a scenario where Copyright owners and the general public are permanently interacting. As this service involves mass distribution, the Internet has implications for copyright law that go beyond its abilities to achieve rapid and widespread delivery. Designing a liability regime for online copyright infringement that appropriately fits the particular characteristics of the Internet became an urgent task. In 1998 the US Congress passed the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), the first attempt in the world to address this issue. As such, the DMCA has been not only a model to the world, but also has been implemented as domestic law in some countries through the negotiation of Free Trade Agreements (FTA) with the US. Colombia included this topic in the FTA's Agenda and for this reason, understanding the US DMCA is essential for the comprehension of the future of this issue in our country. This paper aims to set out US legislation about ISPs' liability for online copyright infringement made by their subscribers. In doing so, the paper starts with a brief recount of the evolution of this topic at the international level, the DMCA background and then explains the content of the Safe Harbour Provisions of the US DMCA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]