[IP] the godlike power of IPR owners

[David Farber <dave@farber.net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: "David P. Reed" <dpreed@reed.com>
Date: April 7, 2007 5:24:55 PM EDT
To: David Farber <dave@farber.net>
Subject: the godlike power of IPR owners

Apparently, an amendment pushed by RIAA and MPAA to a California bill  
against pretexting (pretending to be someone to deceive someone into  
giving you that person's private info) is asking for an exemption of  
owners of copyrights, patents, trade secrets, etc.

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-pretext7apr07,1,1936238.story? 
coll=la-headlines-business&ctrack=1&cset=true

We have seen this before, granting IPR owners the rights to invade  
computers, install viruses, etc.

Though it bothers me greatly that IPR owners get a special deal (but  
owners of jewelry, for example, do not, though they might want to  
find a thief, too), I am particularly bothered because it is so easy  
to become an "owner of IPR".

In fact, this email is IPR, born copyrighted to me.   So I guess I  
don't need to worry about pretending to be someone else (or obeying  
any other law the RIAA doesn't like to be constrained by).

The IPR bar should be ashamed of itself.



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