Intellectual Property Concerns (W5)

 If you were to ask me about intellectual property (IP) concerns before this summer, I would have had nothing to say. I've never had to think or really consider IP concerns in online environments because I lurk a majority of the time. However, this class and EME5250 have shown me in five weeks how crucial these things are.

As a creator, I’d say I have little to no concerns about IP right now. Like I said, I almost exclusively lurk online, so I’m not putting much out there. But as a user, my concerns are growing. In a rapidly expanding digital space with things like AI replicating and remixing content, intellectual property is more vulnerable than ever. It’s no longer just about using an image without credit or forgetting to cite a blog post. It’s about tracing what’s original, what’s fair use, and what’s been pulled from a model trained on someone else's work.

The reality is, most people don’t naturally learn the do’s and don’ts of intellectual property. Heck, I didn’t know any of it until this summer! And that’s exactly why it’s so important.

It is absolutely our responsibility as educators to teach and uphold IP standards. Not just because it's legally necessary, but because it teaches respect. Respect for labor, creativity, and for the communities we learn from. Whether we’re working with middle schoolers, undergrads, or corporate learners, modeling ethical use of digital content is foundational. If we don’t take it seriously, how can we expect our students to?

Online spaces may evolve faster than the policies meant to govern them, but that doesn’t mean we get to look the other way.

Comments

  1. nickinickelzJune 13, 2025 at 12:06 PM

    I definitely consume far more than I contribute. I think many of us do, which makes it easy to overlook the ethical implications until we're asked to model them for others. I agree that the rise of AI has further complicated intellectual property. It’s not just about copying anymore, as so much original content is reprocessed without consent. I love how you framed IP as an issue of respect. That’s such an important mindset to cultivate in students. I struggle with instilling this in my middle schoolers sometimes.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. JackJune 14, 2025 at 4:26 PM

      It's become such an easy thing to overlook! As a society, we are inundated with content and our attention is being pulled all over the place. We have knee-jerk reactions to a lot of what we see and can easily forget to critically think about what it is that we are being exposed to. Being intentional and thoughtful of these things is challenging, but it's up to us to be the leading examples for our youth.
      Thank you for the kind words!

      Delete

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