It seems like it was supposed to do the exact opposite per cursory wiki reading: > The concept of copyright first developed in England. In reaction to the prin

It seems like it was supposed to do the exact opposite per cursory wiki reading: > The concept of copyright first developed in England. In reaction to the printing of "scandalous books and pamphlets", the English Parliament passed the Licensing of the Press Act 1662,[16] which required all intended publications to be registered with the government-approved Stationers' Company, giving the Stationers the right to regulate what material could be printed.[20] > The Statute of Anne, enacted in 1710 in England and Scotland, provided the first legislation to protect copyrights (but not authors' rights)