Towards a Comprehensive, Balanced U.S. Patent and Copyright Policy
Encourage President-Elect Obama to Choose the Best IP Enforcement Coordinator Possible Learn More
Cause Bulletin
Free Culture Conference in D.C. on February 13th
Free Culture X, a conference of Students for Free Culture, will be held February 13th at the George Washington University in Washington, D.C. Keynote addresses will be given by Harvard Berkman Center co-founder Jonathan Zittrain, the co-founder of the public interest group Public Knowledge, Gigi Sohn, and the director of Am… Read More
Recent Cause Activity
A site that highlights just how absurd copyright enforcement can be:
http://unhappybirthday.com/
(I learned about this from a very funny interview on CBC radio.)
A little good news about online copyright in France: http://www.michaelgeist.ca/content/vi...
DON'T MISS: A recipe for killing Internet media: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/... and a video of Larry Lessig working to save it: http://blip.tv/file/2121395/
National Journal Online -- Tech Daily Dose -- OneWebDay Founder Tapped By Obama
Source: techdailydose.nationaljournal.com
http://techdailydose.nationaljournal....
Internet law expert Susan Crawford has joined President Barack Obama's lineup of tech policy experts at the White House, according to several sources. She will likely hold the title of special assistant to the president for science, technology, and innovation policy, they said. ...
We do not need academics ... We need people who are within the system and can see the issues clearly ... This is *not* simply a copyright issue ... It is the Patent Reform Act of 2009 that will destroy more jobs than anything that happened in the copyright realm
Chief Judge Paul Michel
http://www.patentsmatter.com/issue/20...
http://www.cafc.uscourts.gov/FTCspeec...
Specifically:
"But what about the grievances felt by the 24 companies? Are they real? Yes, but I think they have been overstated. To a large extent, the pressure felt to pay undue if not exorbitant license or settlement fees comes from the high cost of defending an infringement suit, even where the defense later proves meritorious. Broad discovery is a major problem. But a careful trial judge can often stage discovery, starting with narrow discovery just on claim construction. Early summary judgments can resolve many cases, eliminating invalid patents for obviousness where non-infringement is not clear enough for summary judgment as it is in most cases. Such paring down can also relieve burdens and risks for the patent owner, such as holding on summary judgment that inequitable conduct is clearly not shown for example. As to the risk of excess damages, a careful trial judge can exclude improper testimony about Entire Market Value when the prerequisite is not shown. Greater reliance on non-enablement, inadequate written description, and claim indefiniteness would also help, especially when summary judgment of invalidity is possible. To the extent that certain districts without meaningful connections to the parties are perceived to be pro-plaintiff, court-imposed reforms are already restricting resort to such courts. As to legal fees, the Patent Act already provides for fee-shifting in exceptional cases. Perhaps greater use of this deterrent to abusive lawsuits or litigation tactics is in order.
In the final analysis, however, fixing problems perceived as unduly hindering defense of suits by 24 companies cannot rationally wag the dog of the system on which all 100,000 companies, including the Fortune 500, depend. Let's find solutions to the real problems that will ameliorate them without hurting the legitimate interests of innumerable other companies and industries. I believe we can do so if we all engage one another in responsible, candid dialogue that avoids rhetoric and exaggeration and focuses on facts. We should begin right away."
It would really be a dream come true of mine if Lessig were to be appointed to any job, big or small, in the Obama administration. However, nothing could be better than Lessig as the IPEC.
Don't miss Larry Lessig's interview on the Colbert Report. Is he campaigning for the IP Enforcement Coordinator job? Is Colbert? Hmmmmm . . .
http://www.lessig.org/blog/2009/01/le...
Don't miss Larry Lessig's interview on the Colbert Report. Is he campaigning for the IP Enforcement Coordinator job? Is Colbert? Hmmmmm . . .
http://www.lessig.org/blog/2009/01/le...
@Maggie and @Jon, if you create a cause for either Fred, I'll be happy to add them to the candidate list. Thanks for your support and keep on inviting members!
@Maggie and @Jon, if you create a cause for either Fred, I'll be happy to add them to the candidate list. Thanks for your support and keep on inviting members!
How about the EFF's Fred von Lohmann? Or Nashville entertainment lawyer Fred Wilhelms? "If the corporate music industry had any ethics, Wilhelms would be its 'ethicist-in-chief," once wrote CounterPunch's Dave Marsh.
How about the EFF's Fred von Lohmann? Or Nashville entertainment lawyer Fred Wilhelms? "If the corporate music industry had any ethics, Wilhelms would be its 'ethicist-in-chief," once wrote CounterPunch's Dave Marsh.
For member interested in supporting Professor Boyle, a page is here: http://tr.im/2p0f
Remember to keep inviting new members.
For member interested in supporting Professor Boyle, a page is here: http://tr.im/2p0f
Remember to keep inviting new members.
Another possible candidate for IP Enforcement Coordinator is Jamie Boyle, a brilliant law professor at Duke University. His books are clear, provocative, and often funny. To learn more about his latest book, check out:
http://www.boingboing.net/2008/11/30/...
Another possible candidate for IP Enforcement Coordinator is Jamie Boyle, a brilliant law professor at Duke University. His books are clear, provocative, and often funny. To learn more about his latest book, check out:
http://www.boingboing.net/2008/11/30/...
Victoria A. Espinel nominated to become the nation’s first copyright czar
http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2009...