What factor contributed to easier copying of copyrighted works with the advent of digital technologies and the internet?

• A. Stricter enforcement worldwide.
• B. The advent of digital technologies and the internet.
• C. Public domain expansion.
• D. Universal licensing accessibility.

Answer: (B)

Digital technologies and the internet created an environment where making copies is almost free and distributing them is instant. When a work exists in digital form, copying it produces an exact replica with virtually no cost, and the internet lets those copies spread globally in seconds. That combination lowers barriers to sharing and makes unauthorized distribution easy and scalable, which is why this factor most explains the surge in copying. The other options don’t fit as the primary driver: stricter enforcement would hinder copying, public domain expansion changes legal access rather than enabling easy copying, and universal licensing could help legitimate copies but wouldn’t by itself account for the widespread, effortless duplication enabled by digital tech and networks.