Still other technology supports using electronic encoding to seek out and alert rights holders of unauthorized copying of their works. Because large record labels and entertainment companies are no longer needed to facilitate the manufacture and distribution of copyrighted music, the focus of the industry must shift toward controlling the enforcement of music licenses. As a result, music licensing may provide the greatest area for growth in copyright law in the world of cyberspace. The importance of ownership in intellectual property has never been so apparent. At current levels, intellectual property accounts for almost 4 percent of the U.S. gross domestic product and is growing at twice the rate of the national economy.
Many rights holders claim such valuable assets require additional protection in a digital world.
Although controversial because First Amendment advocates charge the Act criminalizes certain fair use copying, the Act tightly secures the protection of digital works in cyberspace. The stage is set for a revolution in the music and entertainment industries. Although the future of electronic commerce and music distribution is uncertain, it is sure to evolve with technology and consumer's expectations and desires. A significant transformation in the music industry seems inevitable, for thanks to the Internet, but where it leads is still up for grabs.