Intellectual Poverty

White House vows to aggressively combat trade secrets theft in new cybersecurity strategy document

"The US government vowed to aggressively combat a rise in the foreign theft of trade secrets amid mounting concerns over recent hacking attacks allegedly emanating from China. 'We will continue to act vigorously to combat the theft of US trade secrets that could be used by foreign companies or foreign governments to gain an unfair economic edge,' the strategy document says. Such 'theft threatens American businesses, undermines national security, and places the security of the US economy in jeopardy,' it said, putting 'American jobs at risk.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingWhite House vows to aggressively combat trade secrets theft in new cybersecurity strategy document

Redress for Aaron Swartz Is Not on the Way Despite White House Petition

"There is some idea, apparently, that a government petition focused on firing the chief prosecutor of the Aaron Swartz case will begin to redress injustice. We doubt it, however. If ever the US government needed to explain a prosecution, it is this one. However, the petition process in which people seem to place some trust is probably not going to deliver a satisfactory result. The administration of Barack Obama is under no obligation than to do more than respond, whatever that means. The response can take the form of an explanation but presumably it doesn't have to. In this case, we doubt an explanation will be forthcoming." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingRedress for Aaron Swartz Is Not on the Way Despite White House Petition

How Newegg crushed the “shopping cart” patent and saved online retail

"Soverain isn't in the e-commerce business; it's in the higher-margin business of filing patent lawsuits against e-commerce companies. And it has been quite successful until now. The company's plan to extract a patent tax of about one percent of revenue from a huge swath of online retailers was snuffed out last week by Newegg and its lawyers, who won an appeal ruling [PDF] that invalidates the three patents Soverain used to spark a vast patent war. The ruling effectively shuts down dozens of the lawsuits Soverain filed last year against Nordstrom's, Macy's, Home Depot, RadioShack, Kohl's, and many others." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingHow Newegg crushed the “shopping cart” patent and saved online retail

Save Silicon Valley — abolish patents now

"'Our preferred policy solution is to abolish patents entirely,' Michele Boldrin and David K. Levine wrote in a recently published paper. That statement, of course, flies in the face of the conventional wisdom that patents foster innovation and improve productivity. Both truisms, they say, are wrong. In fact, patents have a 'negative effect on innovation,' they say. Obviously, this is awfully radical, but it's worth noting that 18 months after the largest patent reform legislation in decades -- the America Invents Act -- was signed by President Barack Obama, patent litigation has continued to increase." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSave Silicon Valley — abolish patents now

75-year-old soybean farmer sees Monsanto lawsuit reach U.S. Supreme Court

"On the one side is Bowman, a single 75-year-old Indiana soybean farmer who is still tending the same acres of land as his father before him in rural south-western Indiana. On the other is a gigantic multibillion dollar agricultural business famed for its zealous protection of its commercial rights. The firm insists that it maintains patent rights on its genetically modified seeds even if sold by a third party with no restrictions put on its use – even if the seeds are actually only descendants of the original Monsanto seeds." Continue reading →

Continue Reading75-year-old soybean farmer sees Monsanto lawsuit reach U.S. Supreme Court

Maryland county school board to own all students’ work with copyright policy

"A county school board in Maryland has proposed a copyright policy that would allow it to take ownership of all work produced by students and faculty — even work created off campus during personal time. A Prince George’s County Board of Education proposal obtained by WTOP says that 'any works' created by students or employees 'are properties of the Board of Education even if created on the employee’s or student’s time and with the use of their materials.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingMaryland county school board to own all students’ work with copyright policy

US Still ‘Warning’ Antigua That It Better Not Set Up Piracy Hub, Even As WTO Gives Approval

"The United States warned Antigua and Barbuda on Monday not to retaliate against U.S. restrictions on Internet gambling by suspending American copyrights or patents, a move it said would authorize the 'theft' of intellectual property like movies and music. 'The United States has urged Antigua to consider solutions that would benefit its broader economy. However, Antigua has repeatedly stymied these negotiations with certain unrealistic demands,' said Nkenge Harmon, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Trade Representative's office." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingUS Still ‘Warning’ Antigua That It Better Not Set Up Piracy Hub, Even As WTO Gives Approval

US Still ‘Warning’ Antigua That It Better Not Set Up Piracy Hub, Even As WTO Gives Approval

"The United States warned Antigua and Barbuda on Monday not to retaliate against U.S. restrictions on Internet gambling by suspending American copyrights or patents, a move it said would authorize the 'theft' of intellectual property like movies and music. 'The United States has urged Antigua to consider solutions that would benefit its broader economy. However, Antigua has repeatedly stymied these negotiations with certain unrealistic demands,' said Nkenge Harmon, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Trade Representative's office." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingUS Still ‘Warning’ Antigua That It Better Not Set Up Piracy Hub, Even As WTO Gives Approval

The price of copyright crime in New Zealand? Only $617

"In the US, when illegal downloaders have actually gone to trial, they have faced massive six-figure penalties, like the damages figures against Joel Tenenbaum ($675,000) and Jammie Thomas-Rasset (first $1.92 million, down to $222,000). Now New Zealand is starting to see results from the copyright tribunals it set up under a controversial 2011 law, which allows for copyright owners such as RIANZ (the New Zealand equivalent of the RIAA) to go after users, but for a maximum of $15,000. Turns out, it's going to be very tough for them to get even that amount in New Zealand." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingThe price of copyright crime in New Zealand? Only $617

Antigua set to bypass US copyright law with WTO green-lit media, software sales website

"In a surprisingly legal move, the government of Antigua is planning to open a website selling media and software without paying any fees to American copyright holders. It comes after the US closed its market to Antiguan gambling companies. The small Caribbean nation once thrived on its gambling industry, which at one point employed 5 per cent of its people, TorrentFreak reports. When the US blocked the island's gambling companies from accessing American players, it pulled the rug out from under the whole industry. Antigua is now set to begin selling music, movies and software without having to pay a cent to the American firms holding copyrights on the wares." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingAntigua set to bypass US copyright law with WTO green-lit media, software sales website