A recent Datysoc article (Spanish language) discusses an ongoing dispute in Uruguay over whether a copyright exception for computational analysis should be included in a copyright modernization bill.
In June 2024, Uruguay’s Chamber of Deputies approved a draft law aimed at modernizing copyright regulations. The law seeks to address the need for exceptions and limitations in the copyright system. Proposed changes include extending the right to cite audiovisual works, allowing educators to legally use images and videos for teaching, and giving libraries the right to reproduce works for preservation. It also legalizes public lending and introduces a regime for handling orphan works (those works whose author is unknown or cannot be located).
However, the bill faces opposition from groups concerned about the exception allowing the use of copyrighted works for non-commercial computational analysis. Supporters of this exception argue that it is crucial for researchers to be able to use computational/artificial intelligence methods, and that other countries already allow such uses – so leaving Uruguay’s researchers without access to these tools would be a clear disadvantage. This dispute highlights the need to balance copyright protection with the ability to use modern research tools like text and data mining, which are essential for advancement in both AI and academic research.
