Copyright Owners Versus the World

Yesterday’s column about one congressman’s efforts to restore some balance in the intellectual property arena brought lots of e-mail and further ideas.

  • Gordon Mohr notes this from the Washington Post: Pat Schroeder’s New Chapter. The (Association of American Publishers) is looking for ways to charge library patrons for information. “Politically,” Schroeder says, “it’s the toughest issue. Libraries have a wonderful image.”

  • Joe Crawford sends this link to Bruce Sterling’s prescient “Free as Air” Speech. Hey, if there’s a real need here, the market
    will meet it, Mr Franklin. I really think this “library” idea of
    yours is something better left to the private sector, Mr Franklin.
    No author could possibly want his books read for free, sir. Are
    you trying to starve the creative artist?

  • Brett Glass discovered that “a few of my favorite radio
    stations have dropped off the Web due to demands for large royalty
    payments by the RIAA.” See the following links:

    RIAA Webcasting FAQ

    Boston Radio Watch

    Digital Media Association

  • Richard Stallman forwards a warning from Caspar Bowden, Director of the Foundation for Information Policy Research in London, about proposed British legislation that “raises the penalty for all
    types of criminal copyright infringement from two years to ten! People caught would be those copying copyrighted software or MP3s, whether
    for commercial purposes or for friends. Anything that exceeds “fair dealing”
    (in US called “fair use”) exemptions allowing excerpting of small proportion
    for purposes of review or private study (but NOT education, as is the case
    in US).”

    Comments

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