Consent-based Implied Contractual Licences

This chapter evaluates consent-based implied contractual licences. Consent-based implied contractual licences differ from consent-based bare licences in that there is consideration that flows from the licensee in exchange for the licensor undertaking not to revoke the licence, in addition to there being an intention to create legal relations. The existence of a contract provides the structure within which to assess the copyright owner’s consent as the basis for implying a licence. The modern significance of implied contractual licences lies in their application to copyright content placed online by or with the consent of the copyright owner, and is subject to terms of use that amount to a contract. This chapter applies the framework proposed in Chapter 3, rather than the rules of implying terms in fact, in order to make the process of implication more transparent. The chapter examines the case law in three broad categories of contractual copyright licences: (i) commissioning contracts; (ii) copyright exploitation contracts; and (iii) consumer contracts.