Document Type
Symposia Article
Abstract
This Essay reviews Ned Snow’s provocative book, Intellectual Property and Immorality: Against Protecting Harmful Creations of the Mind, and critically examines the intersection of copyright law and morality. It explores the ethical dimensions of copyright protection and examines whether works which fail to advance societal progress, as defined by Snow, should be ineligible for copyright. Drawing parallels between pornography and offensive and racially insensitive classic children’s literature and films, this Essay considers the broader implications of denying copyright to immoral works, including the potential for increased dissemination of harmful content, the challenge of aligning copyright with evolving moral standards, and the risk of infringing on free speech principles. Ultimately, while the Essay explores potential consequences of Snow’s proposal to deny copyright to immoral works, it echoes the book’s advocacy for a more ethically conscious approach to copyright that balances the rights of creators with the need to protect societal welfare.
DOI
10.37419/JPL.V11.I1.6
First Page
169
Last Page
190
Recommended Citation
Cathay Smith,
Should Copyright Protect Racist Works? A Review of Intellectual Property and Immorality: Against Protecting Harmful Creations of the Mind By Ned Snow,
11
Tex. A&M J. Prop. L.
169
(2025).
Available at:
https://doi.org/10.37419/JPL.V11.I1.6