Dear Senator Wyden,
I am extremely happy to hear that you have placed a hold on the Protect IP Act! Current legal processes are already in place to combat intellectual property issues.
There needs to be a wholesale change in the way we view media. I am a graduate student and I believe wholeheartedly that artists and studios should be compensated for their work. The problem is that instead of opening up to many different forms of access in an attempt to increase LEGITIMATE consumption of their product, many companies have gone for strict licensing that leaves many consumers cold, detached and the desired media out of their reach. Censoring the internet is not the logical or even ideologically consistent next step. Content producers need to expand access via licensing agreements to get PAID content to as many people as possible. In all likelihood people who are unwilling to purchase content now are not going to change their minds just because the government decides to start shutting websites down. Additionally, the internet is supposed to be an open forum for speech and the transmission of ideas. To allow the government to make websites "disappear" sets a dangerous precedent that websites that allegedly run afoul of the law can be made to vanish without appropriate notice, opportunity to correct the situation, and indeed to dispute copyright claims.
I would encourage you to continue this hold as long as the legislation's method of enforcement remains consistent with the currently proposed language.
Best Regard,
Matthew Bray
No comments:
Post a Comment