Biden’s “IP roundtable” brings together Big Content, FBI – Ars Technica — Rekon this will be for the benefit of the consumer?

Vice President Joe Biden has been one of the Obama’s administration’s point people on intellectual property. Biden attended an MPAA get-together in DC back in April 2009, where he told the assembled luminaries that they were going to love Obama’s choice for the new “copyright czar” position (officially known as IPEC). That choice was later revealed as Victoria Espinel, who actually attracted positive commentary from groups on all sides of the IP issue.

This week, Biden was at it again, hosting a roundtable on enforcing copyright infringement cases. Who was invited? Top names from the government, including Attorney General Eric Holder, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, Biden, and Espinel, along with the heads of NBC, Sony Pictures, Warner Music Group, and HarperCollins.

Oh, did I mention that the guest list also included the heads of the MPAA and RIAA, top execs from News Corp., Universal Music, Walt Disney, and Viacom?

Or that top Obama advisor and confidante Valeria Jarrett was in attendance? Or that the head of the FBI and Secret Service were there? Or that the event billed itself “the first of its kind, and will bring together all of the stakeholders to discuss ways to combat piracy in this rapidly changing technological age,” but didn’t manage to invite any public interest groups or academics?




  1. The Pirate says:

    Took ’em long enough. Good luck shutting that barn door. Copyright 7 years, patent 10. Quit stealing our culture.

  2. Dennis says:

    Feel free to send it to whom you may deem appropriate. Or not. Make your own choice after reading and examining its content.

    😉
    ——————————————————

    Dear (Insert name here)

    I am not a ‘Consumer’. I do not ‘consume’ products, be they food items or Health insurance.

    I am a Customer at a minimum. I am a client at best. A consumer just consumes without thought or decision. A consumer takes what is given, and basically consumes it with out thinking or weighing any choices or options.

    I read and evaluate products that I am spending my money on. I compare the benefits and the drawbacks of each ‘thing’ I purchase, and also base my purchasing decisions on not only the value I get for my ever shrinking (and unemployment subsidized) dollar, but also on my history with the company, the nature of the product, and the value I …as a CUSTOMER….receive from that expenditure.

    Please, quit referring to the PEOPLE as consumers. While most may not, maybe part of the reason most appear to be accepting of this moniker is that they are being told at every turn they are just to consume…not think, not compare, not realize something is bad or could cause them ill, or is just ‘not good’.

    Maybe, just maybe, if they are referred to as Clients, or Customers, they would start realizing they have a responsibility to examine and evaluate EACH purchase. To weigh the pros vs the cons. To READ the labels, and the contracts, and the documents before just blindly signing on the dotted line or grabbing the next thing on the shelf.

    I doubt this will make a difference, as I have written to other news persons with no result over the past several years.
    I hope maybe you will listen to this plea, however. You seem to research a lot of the stories I enjoy watching, simply because you expect your audience to also form their own ideas and opinions. They are treated like an audience, rather than consumers of your media. Maybe we, as a nation, can start a meme to correct this issue. If nothing else, maybe it will make people think?

    Thank you for your time.

  3. roastedpeanuts says:

    Change we can believe in!

    I highly doubt McCain would be any better. I don’t understand why the US Libertarian party isn’t taking off….

    Multiparty governments like Canada are much better as the different groups squabble between each other and barely have time to screw with the voters and the economy.

  4. sargasso says:

    Can someone find, Cory Doctorow’s opinion on this?

  5. Gasbag says:

    How big is your dick Joe? Come on with that photo he was asking for it 😛

  6. amodedoma says:

    The absolute absence of anyone technical, and predominance of the supposed crime’s ‘victims’ leads one to believe it’s going to be more of the same. Sure they can continue to whine about how the can’t make any money because of those nasty pirates. Since there’s nobody technical there to explain reality to these people, it’s unlikely they’ll get anything done. I feel no sympathy towards them. They’ve had the same problem for over a decade and still haven’t figured out that the world has left them behind.

  7. Dallas says:

    Again, Obama administration brings attention on yet another huge issue that has been swept under the rug for too long.

    Copyright law, intellectual property rights is a huge issue in my industry. Balancing the need to protect the content property owners rights while protecting consumers to fair use of that content.

    It’s a tough issue but the leadership is here to navigate those rough waters.

  8. Animby says:

    You’re right, Dallas. And the invited group is just the one to come up with viable and equitable solutions.

    Hope and Change.

    Go ahead: keep hoping they’ll change.

  9. Dallas says:

    #9 So having the content owners at the negotiation table seems odd to you?

    I believe the first chapter on “Negotiation for Dummy’s” would reveal that relevant parties need to be involved in successful negotiations.

  10. Republican Dallas says:

    #10
    So you’re saying the democrats are dummies and need a book in order to negotiate? I agree.

    Since we are just twisting words and never actually make an original statement or express any original thinking, lets call you tit and I’ll be tat.

  11. MPL says:

    #8 So who is exactly representing “fair use” FBI? Attorney General? Homeland Security? Biden? NBC? Sony ? Warner ?

  12. Phydeau says:

    #6 Good one! *rimshot*

    I get nervous whenever all the big guys get together in a room. Reminds me of the old saying: Whether the elephants are making love or fighting, the grass still gets trampled.

  13. Animby says:

    #10 Dallas : “So having the content owners at the negotiation table seems odd to you?”

    Not at all. But negotiation implies opposing viewpoints and interests. I don’t see that. And without the opposing viewpoints, it isn’t a negotiation, it’s a strategy session!

    I believe the first chapter in Negotiation for Dumbasses is clear on that point.

  14. Dallas says:

    #15 Agreed but the meeting name for this specific event is “roundtable on enforcing copyright infringement cases”.

    Agreed a consumer view should be involved in seeing how content owners intend to enforce the copyright infringement cases.

    Having said that, I view the Obama administration as being pro consumer so “we” should be covered in that meeting.

    See Health insurance debate for further evidence of how the Obama administration is not the big business lackey that President Cheney was.

  15. nick the rat says:

    this can only lead to no good imo. copyright laws are already broke, i do not think they are going to fix it. they will just make it easier for them to sue us.

  16. RSweeney says:

    copyright period = Mickey Mouse + 10, forever.

    Copyrights were intended to EXPIRE. Creation was intended to help mankind after rewarding the creator, not permanently enrich a corporation decades after the creator’s death.

    90% of the stuff out there should be free for all anyway.

    Let’s see some REAL reform. Not this fascist cr^p.

  17. Thomas says:

    #8
    You really need to get off the drugs. Biden was and is one of the biggest proponents of copyright laws in the interests of the MPAA and RIAA. Biden and your boy are about to make the problem worse. I’m waiting for the indefinite copyright.

    #10
    Have you ever heard of the notion of “conflict of interest”?

    #17
    Funny, I don’t see the consumers being represented in that group.

    > Having said that, I
    > view the Obama administration
    > as being pro consumer so
    > “we” should be covered in
    > that meeting.

    AHAHAHAHAHAHAHHA. He’s here all week folks. Try the veal.

  18. deowll says:

    I asked a self described college graduate H. Clinton fan who the vice President was and she said after some thought, “Chaney?”

    I don’t claim this proves anything other than Joe Biden isn’t that well known or that popular even with Democrates.

  19. Somebody says:

    I just don’t see how they do it. Blatantly in bed with the most despised people in the business and yet still “too cool for Zune”?


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