Senate Judiciary Committee Moves Forward On Fashion Copyright
from the protectionism dept
The Senate Judiciary Committee apparently just loves expanding copyright law for no reason whatsoever. Just after they unanimously agreed to move the COICA censorship bill forward, they've also unanimously agreed to move forward with the fashion copyright bill, which is nothing more than blatant protectionism for the largest players in the fashion industry, at the expense of new entrants and (more importantly) the public. This has been discussed over and over and over again and it's a real shame.There's no actual justification for it. The purpose of copyright is to benefit the wider public by creating incentives for the creation of new works. Yet, the fashion industry is highly competitive and constantly churns out new and innovative works. In fact, the research into the fashion industry has shown that the industry thrives because of the lack of copyright. It allows much faster dissemination of ideas into the market place, including more choices at more prices, which is what helps create fads that drive sales. On top of that, it encourages designers to keep designing new works to get ahead of the next trend. There has not been a single study that has proven any actual "harm" from this lack of copyright -- just vague and misleading statements that pretend this bill is about stopping counterfeits, which are already illegal under trademark law.
So why is it moving forward? It's plain and simple: protectionism by the established players. If you look at the history of copyright expansion, you see the same story over and over again. A lack of copyright (or very weak copyrights) leads to much greater innovation in an industry... and then the leaders of that industry don't want to let new competitors in, so they seek greater and greater copyright protections. That's exactly what's happening here and the folks supporting it -- including the 19 Senators who voted to move the bill forward -- should be ashamed of themselves for simply kowtowing to industry protectionism.
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Filed Under: copyright, fashion copyright, protectionism, senate
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Well eyepatches are kinda hot...
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Won't be long until we CAN print our own cloths.
We already have knitting, but that's not very trendy atm, is it?
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Note to self: Self, proofread better!
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The rub
They line their campaign pockets with this ill-gotten gold, the industry makes money, and the only ones that suffer are the nameless individuals that you never see.
It's a lose for us, but it's a (personal) win for the select few that this type of law favors. At least until one thread unravels...
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That's really the problem. Most people don't have a clue about what's happening, and they don't even care. How can you make people scream from the rooftops on an issue so subtle and intricate as copyright and its effects..?
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http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2010/10/26/130838159/the-tuesday-podcast-stealing-our-w ay-to-a-t-shirt
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http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2010/12/xbox-judge-riled/
This went on for more than half an hour and according to some lawyers, prosecutors and others came down from the hall to see what was happening after that the prosecution asked for a recess to reevaluate their options as it got clear they were in for some though times ahead :)
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Stupid politicians
Nothing can be as detrimental to our society as that.
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Re: Stupid politicians
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Publicity rights next!
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The lawyers will definitely benefit.
I think it'll be great to be able to say they deserve what they get. Nuclear-lawsuits!
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OH give up in the usa already
after all you have nothing else worth doing for business no more.
CHINA makes everything
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Copyright, Fractional Reserve Banking, War...
Banks loan money that doesn't exist and take in ridiculous amounts of interest. They make themselves rich off of the backs of hard working people. People sweat and toil creating real wealth while the banks reap the rewards. They keep people perpetually in debt in order to line their own pockets. After all, a people burdened by debt is easy to control.
War has become a tool of profit as well. The government has made up imaginary enemies to the people in order to legitimize expenditures to fight these bogus threats. The war on terror is just a ruse to make the military hardware corporations rich. As long as there are "evil doers" to "fight", there will be profit for the military industrial complex. The war on drugs is only designed to make the people that run it well-off. The people that profit from the creation and operation of prisons love the war on drugs. They intentionally pick battles they know they can't win because it introduces a perpetual demand for goods and services intended to fight these imaginary foes. And guess who is paying for all of this? You guessed it, we do.
You would think they would be satisfied with all these ill-begotten wealth and power but, no, they come to our legislators and demand more. More protection for them to control what was never theirs to begin with. More control over who can create and who has the right to participate. I have had it up to my eyeballs and I wish like hell that I could expose these liars and thieves to everyone so we can overthrow them once and for all.
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Mike Masnick Talks Too Much
Luckily, No one cares what you think about the fashion industry's efforts to protect themselves from freeloaders. Nor does the music industry care what you think about their efforts to enforce copyright protection in the digital environment. You need to put down your trusty EFF handbook and get caught up with what's actually happening in the real world. Also, How long are you gonna keep pushing this overly vague "Innovation" concept? Your stupid articles make me laugh.
"Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored." -Aldous Huxley-
Silicon Valley Is Gonna Burn
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Re: Mike Masnick Talks Too Much
XM25 (grenade launcher)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytPa8ihfrPU
That is catching up to the South Korean K11.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2IgHa6WwUo
Which have dual mode assault/grenade.
If Silicon Valley burns so do the Army.
"Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored." -Aldous Huxley-
Also I want to let you know that whatever your are selling I'm not buying.
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Re: Mike Masnick Talks Too Much
As far as the fashion industry is concerned, they already have all the protection from "freeloaders" that they deserve. Trademark offers legal protections against counterfeit products and copyright doesn't afford them anything more than they have already in that respect. It does, however, afford them the ability to push out competitors with litigious bullying. Besides that, if I wanted to make replica tables that are exactly the same in design to that which is sold by Tiffany and Co. and sell them for cheaper, I have every right to so much as I don't claim that it is an actual Tiffany table.
Innovation is not a vague concept. In fact, it's very specific. In the context it is used, it means that trying something else is better than continuing to fail at what they are doing now. I believe it was Einstein that said "The definition of insanity is repeating the same action and expecting different results". The content industries are rank with guilt where that is concerned. We don't give buggy whip makers protections because cars have made them obsolete, they just have to adapt.
Furthermore, if nobody cares what Mike has to say about these subjects why do you care so much to make the effort to tell him as such? You contradict yourself. By your very action, you have proven that someone does care what he has to say: you.
Just because you don't think people should copy works without paying for it doesn't make it any harder to do so. It's easy to do and is necessary just to access the content. Copying and imitation are a core part of art and condemning others for deriving their creations from prior art is hypocritical because all art is derivative of prior art. By your standard, the founders of Disney should have been penalized for using the works of the Brothers Grimm (e.g. Snow White, Cinderella, Rapunzel, Sleeping Beauty, etc. ). They pushed for many copyright amendments calling for protections to prevent others from doing what they have done themselves. Perhaps you are the one that is ignoring facts?
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Re: Re: Mike Masnick Talks Too Much
I never thought of it that way ... thanks
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Re: Mike Masnick Talks Too Much
Money spent on "music" in the past decade: $0
Money spent on "tech" in the past decade: Not $0
Oh yeah, the tech industry is going down.
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Re: Mike Masnick Talks Too Much
To address your point, the sole purpose of current copyright is to sodomise the consumer, in the name of profit.
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Re: Mike Masnick Talks Too Much
You definitions of "no-one" are warped.
Go out and talk to real people and you will find a different opinion - you have insulated yourselves in a little bubble and you don't realise what the ordinary population thinks anymore.
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Re: Mike Masnick Talks Too Much
Not sure why this quote was used. LOL
Who is ignoring the facts?
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21 Japanese tourists held without bail for trying to enter the US while wearing Armani US knock offs ... from the head quarters of Armani US, ICE talking head john smith is quoted as saying "These clear and flagrant violations of US law will not be tolerated. We must set an example and punish these criminals to the fullest extent of the law." Amoung the arrest was japanese porn star Aika Muira.
In other Fashion news "Christina Agulera was released six month early from her two year prison sentence. After being jailed for wearing a vera wang knock off dress on the red carpet premier of "Rocky 12 - Nursing home dust up" ..."
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