The horizon of copyright is changing with the introduction of digital technologies which ease the ability to produce and rapidly distribute undistinguishable copies. The Internet and other digital technologies create new questions for copyright doctrine in the next millennium, such as infringement liability, fair use, and enforcement of copyright in a global decentralized network, the Internet. Digital copying could radically undermine traditional copyright markets. This paper examines the historical progression of copyright legislation in an attempt to develop a framework for understanding digital copyright.