Some Suggestions On How To Celebrate World Intellectual Property Day

from the have-fun dept

Thu, Apr 26th 2007 1:58pm — Mike Masnick

Reader Korrupt writes in to let us know that today is apparently World Intellectual Property Day. Michael Geist notes that there seems to be a lot missing from the festivities. Right now they seem full of announcements about how countries need to do more to make their IP systems like the US. Of course, WIPO also has a wonderfully silly list of suggested activities for World Intellectual Property Day, such as "Work with local newspapers to publish editorials encouraging respect for the rights of creators" and "Mount exhibits at local shopping malls explaining how consumers benefit from strong intellectual property systems." Since it doesn't seem like the folks at WIPO want to use World Intellectual Property Day to actually discuss some of the deeper issues concerning whether or not intellectual property actually is useful, we thought it might be good to come up with our own list of suggested activities for World Intellectual Property Day:

Read the Constitution of the United States. Focus on the part of Article 1, Section 8 that says the purpose of securing a monopoly on works for a limited time is only "to promote the progress of science and useful arts."
Read up on Thomas Jefferson's concerns about intellectual property laws.
Read the book Against Intellectual Monopoly that includes all sorts of research highlighting how intellectual property has hindered, rather than advanced, innovation and creativity.
Take a look through The Chilling Effects archive to learn how many companies are misusing intellectual property to stifle free speech.
Support the EFF for helping to stand up to those who want to take away fair use rights.
Read up on how the RIAA's litigation process works and explain how that helps promote music in any way.
Send some prior art to the US Patent Office.
Ask the US Patent Office why they consider prior art the only test for obviousness, even though the law is clear that an invention needs to be both non-obvious and original.
Learn the difference between innovation and invention and ask why intellectual property seems unfairly tilted towards invention when it's supposed to be promoting innovation.
Explain how extending intellectual property protection on songs already written puts in place the incentives for those songs to be written.

And, of course in the spirit of free and open discussion on World Intellectual Property Day, we ask you to contribute your own suggestions in the comments (WIPO, oddly enough, seems to assume that it has the final word and does not ask for comments).

14 Comments

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dorpus, 26 Apr 2007 @ 2:28pm

Earth Day Patent
Barbecued Blue Whale, Snowy Egret, Bengal Tiger, Anatolian Leopard, Seal Pup.

Lots of manly men to participate in the redwood-felling contest - see who's REALLY a stud with an axe. Don't miss out on the California Condor shoot.

For the kiddies, activities will include creating interesting patterns on the lake with Quaker State 10W-40, freon cloud making.
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ehrichweiss, 26 Apr 2007 @ 2:37pm

missed one...
Download a copy of Vista and 10,000 remixes of the latest Britney song(I'm out of touch with new music so just fill in the latest siren's name who is hoping to sell her song based on her looks). Then delete them and do it again.
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Ajax 4Hire, 26 Apr 2007 @ 2:38pm

I was going to write a song but
realized I could not because I did not have Intellectual Property Rights, right?

I now have an excuse why my songs to rhyme

in their own time.
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- Ajax 4Hire, 26 Apr 2007 @ 2:39pm
  
  Re: I was going to write a song but
  It doesn't make sense is the point.
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teknosapien, 26 Apr 2007 @ 2:39pm

HAHA
Read the next post
Politicians Seek Subsidies To Make US More Competitive
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RandomThoughts, 26 Apr 2007 @ 3:34pm

OK, does reading Techdirt constitute celebrating World IP Day?

Do I have to send a card?
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Charles Griswold, 26 Apr 2007 @ 3:48pm

How about we all separately take out patents on the concept of creating arbitrary holidays to try to prop up outdated business practices. Then we sue anyone that tries to celebrate World Intellectual Property Day including each other and (why not) ourselves.
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Immovable Object Guy, 26 Apr 2007 @ 3:58pm

this world is a crazy place
If you didn't take the opportunity to read the letter written by Thomas Jefferson, above, then GO BACK AND READ IT. Maybe, you'll get the point..

and as an aside - man was that guy brilliant!!!
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Anonymous Coward, 26 Apr 2007 @ 4:23pm

I just out a patent on World Intellectual Property Day. I am going to sue WIPO, TechDirt, and anyone who has ever mentioned the day by name or acronym. Let the money flow!
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Nick (profile), 26 Apr 2007 @ 4:39pm

Jack Velenti just died! How fitting!
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ehrichweiss, 26 Apr 2007 @ 5:04pm

Jack Valenti
Nick,

Thanks for that. Today is truly a blessed day.
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zcat, 26 Apr 2007 @ 7:25pm

Jack's dead?!!!
Excellent. I'm going to buy myself a nice new DVD burner to celebrate!
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FightBackMan, 27 Apr 2007 @ 1:42am

File a bogus DMCA take down notices
1. Go file a bogus DMCA take down notice against a politicians website, their favorite entertainment sites, Viacom's ISP. etc.

2. Patent something Nokia makes in the US (they don't check prior art or obviousness') and plan your law$uit.

3. Wait patiently for this new EU rule to come into force.
Inciting infringement is a criminal offence now, and since Windows includes a CD ripper Gates & co are inciting infringement. You can't get the BSA who pushed this, but you can get their paymasters.
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Dosquatch, 27 Apr 2007 @ 5:22am

I am Jack's well-timed death
I'm gonna celebrate by blatantly lifting lines from movies all day.

"And what did David do? WHAT did David do? What did David do?"

"He celebrated by dancing! Leaping, and dancing, before the Lord."
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