Intellectual Property Seminar Deserves Skepticism

steve@hiresteve.com (Steve Foerster) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 02:16:00 +0000

One of the nastier aspects of globalization will be coming to the Caribbean this week. I refer to a seminar to be held in Dominica on so-called intellectual property. This event is sponsored by an NGO called WIPO, which seeks to "harmonize" enforcement of copyright and patents throughout the world, meaning that small countries like those in the Caribbean are brought to heel so that the profits of large American media corporations can be maximized at their expense.

Why do I feel so strongly that those who spend their time on this event should do so with a skeptical eye? I am an educational technologist who is active in groups that seek to produce educational resources that are free for all to use, copy, and modify as they see fit. From my work at universities I have seen firsthand that the publishers of most available educational materials ruthlessly exploit students and universities, and that large entertainment corporations exploit their economic power to maintain their control over both the artists and musicians who produce these works and those who consume them.

Speaking of artists and musicians, I expect this seminar will have a great deal of talk about how wonderful a strong copyright regime would be for those in our countries. Make no mistake, however, the developing world consumes more copyrighted material than it produces, and as such, copyright and patent are manifestly harmful to their economic development.

If nothing else, I hope that Caribbean countries will use this as an opportunity to draft a broad and far reaching "fair dealing" provision wherein copyrighted materials, regardless of source, are free for use for educational purposes. We must at least stop the copyright vampires from keeping the information young people need to learn locked away behind licensing fees they cannot afford!

Four Reasons to Resist Copyright

steve@hiresteve.com (Steve Foerster) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 15:37:00 +0000

Welcome to Resist Copyright! On these pages why copyright is illegitimate and should be resisted. We'll also link to other resources that provide people with the information they need to take action. Topics we'll cover include:

It's Time for “Piracy” to Walk the Plank
The word piracy suggests that there is robbery taking place. Since copyright is a government entitlement, and not actually a form of property, that's not the case.

The Trouble with Creative Commons
Even the most open of licenses require tacit acceptance of copyright to underpin them. It's important for the developing world not to fall into the trap of accepting a few "open" resources at the cost of closing off everything else.

Copyright as Economic Colonialism
Sharing intellectual resources freely is a hallmark of many cultures around the world. Copyright is being foisted on these societies as a way to enrich Western corporations at the expense of everyone else.

Ways to Resist Copyright
This series of articles will highlight various technological and advocacy approaches to resisting copyright in your society.

Check back often, as we add material, and don't be afraid to join the conversation!