Week 9: Final Project Proposal

For my final project, I am going to explore the uses of YouTube through its history and where exactly it falls under copyright laws. I chose YouTube because it is one of the most interesting new media/digital technology "inventions" of the present generation. It has benefited both non-celebrities and those who work in the media industry by allowing videos to be uploaded and viewed by users all over the world. People have gained fame via YouTube. Amidst all these benefits, I also want to challenge and question how the copyright laws apply to YouTube, as YouTube users upload music videos, MP3 files, movie/drama clips, and even full movies without the necessary licenses or even permission from the industry companies that have produced these media entertainments. In exploring YouTube, I will study how and where it came about, its pros and cons, and how it serves useful to the media industry. I plan to use journals via UCI Antpac and books/articles on Digital Media (I have no specific sources yet).