Copyright Alert System

The Copyright Alert System (CAS) was a type of online copyright enforcement regime that enabled Internet service providers (ISPs) to issue copyright infringement notifications to users allegedly infringing on copyrighted works in an effort to deter further infringing behavior. Copyright laws govern what individuals can and cannot do with copyrighted works, and the CAS emerged as part of an effort by private sector entities, including content industries and ISPs, to enforce it online. Implemented in the United States in 2013, the CAS was terminated in 2017 after criticism over the system’s ineffectiveness in addressing the problem of repeat infringers and concerns raised by both consumer and civil liberties groups. This entry discusses how the system worked and outlines arguments for and against it. It also ...