Gigi Sohn of the DC Internet policy advocacy group Public Knowledge recently got back from a visit to the NorCal's version of the Happiest Place on Earth, other wise known as the GooglePlex.
According to her blog post, Gigi was wowed by the free detergent and fabric softener on campus. AND, the fact that Google's conference rooms are named after foreign cities. I mean, what will those crazy kids think of next? Lava lamps? OMG!
Happily, though, we just decided to cancel getting a plasma TV in our new DC offices. We'll now entertain and amaze folks by given them free Handy-Wipes and naming our conference rooms Modesto and Shreveport.
Ah, sorry. We kid because we love.
Sohn's post is actually really about a serious talk she gave at Google called "From Capitol Hill to Silicon Valley: Copyright, IP Law and Innovation." Click here to download the Power Point. In the presentation and today's post, Sohn hints at interesting point:
For much of the past five years, Public Knowledge has largely been forced to say “no” to laws and policies proposed by the content industries (with initiatives like DMCA reform, orphan works and open access the notable exceptions). Now it is time to say “yes” to an affirmative agenda to bring balance back to copyright law and allow the public to engage in creative expression that is no longer the sole province of movie studios and record companies.
This has long been a complaint of mine about the process for trying to reach that oft-discussed holy grail of a copyright middle ground. You either have some on the far copy-left who are not engaged directly in the policy process and delude themselves that simply saying that they are are right/smarter is enough. Or you have the content industries who (smartly) push draconian measures in DC. This leaves no moderating force. The content folks start the conversation at a place that is so far to one side that "compromise" isn't really that.
Then groups like PK spend all their time, energy and resources being reactive and on the defense.
It will be interesting to see what PK comes up with. We may not agree with all of it, but, at least, it will (hopefully) provide a fresh perspective.
And, clearly, PK hopes that Google's YouTube buy makes them double-down on copyright issues and get engaged proactively. In the slide deck, Sohn's specifically calls out the opportunity for licensing reform for online video.
She also asks "key questions for the next 5 years" in the slides:
- Will the content companies learn to live with (and love) You Tube, MySpace and disruptive new technologies
- Will telephone and cable companies turn the open Internet into a closed cable system?
- Will Congress get serious about patent reform?
- Will the public get engaged in copyright reform as it has in the debate over net neutrality?
Has "the public" gotten engaged in the debate over net neutrality? I guess it depends on how you define the public. I still don't think that any congressional races will be one or lost on the issue.
Still, it's an interesting point on copyright reform. Our guess is that if a positive agenda can be created that focuses on how to create a new system that is workable for new digital world, than, yes, rational, fair-minded folks may get engaged in the conversation to the benefit of all stake holders.
-S Garrett
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