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Lessig lets loose on the Supreme Court
August 25, 2005Professor Lessig shows some unusual fire in this latest Wired magazine column, entitled "Rotten Ruling".
In the article he takes direct aim at the justices of the Supreme Court.
When the Supreme Court handed me a defeat three years ago in a challenge to Congress's practice of perpetually extending copyright terms (Eldred v. Ashcroft), it said it defers to Congress in judgments about intellectual property. With Grokster, the Court has now qualified that deference: We defer, except when we don't like the defendants. Then we make up a common law rule to punish the bad guys.
Not sure that it will win him any points for the next time he pleads a case there. However, his criticism is well-founded.
The most interesting thing about this is that there's so little "outrage" over this erosion of civil and commercial liberties. Again, I realize that this issue DOES NOT represent the greatest injustice of our time, but in a free society, "We the People" need to be vigilant against these ad hoc and oft malformed legal rulings. The consequences, as Professor Lessig helps illustrate, are too far reaching to ignore.
Hilary Rosen on Lessig Blog this week
August 18, 2005Lawrence Lessig has invited former RIAA President and "anti-piracy czar" (my words, not hers), Hilary Rosen to guest host his blog this week.
Fairuseless.org applauds Ms. Rosen for putting herself out there and engaging in an important dialogue. Hopefully others from all sides of the issue will follow in her and Larry's--and Professor Lessig's readership's--example.
more erosion
August 2, 2005PCWorld.com - Copyright Crackdown
Consumers need a voice in helping to define and uphold what constitutes 'fair use' in regards to CD copyright protection and what does not.
Doesn't anyone else feel steamrolled?
