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WIPO Didn't Want The Pirate Party To Observe Its Efforts, But Happy To Include A Group Whose Mission Is To Battle Space Lizards

Copyright

from the say-what? dept

Wed, May 30th 2018 9:25am — Mike Masnick

You may recall five years ago how WIPO -- the World Intellectual Property Organization, a UN body that is famous for its maximalist and expansionary approach to intellectual property -- delayed and then rejected the Pirate Parties International request to become an "observer." As we noted, the "observer" process is more or less a formality, and it's pretty common to see everyone who applies get approved. So it was a bit odd that WIPO rejected the Pirates.

And it's even odder when you consider just who WIPO allowed in this year. As noted by Intellectual Property Watch, one of the organizations whose application was rubber-stamped this year to become a WIPO observer is that of the generically named "IP Centre." However, that group's website at the time that it was granted observer status claimed the following as its mission:

Our mission

As a global conspiracy investigation institution with a pioneering awareness raising model, our mission is to create an environment that brings together open-minded people, cultures and ideas from around the world, in order to free individuals and organizations from space lizards’ control.

Let me just repeat that again. WIPO -- which rejected the application of a political party for whom intellectual property is a central plank in its platform -- instead approved a group whose stated mission on its website was to free us from "space lizards' control.".

Space. Lizards.

The webpage has since been changed to some boring boilerplate, but here's what it looked like before:

It's entirely unclear what happened here, though a charitable explanation is someone posted some jokey text when the website was first being designed, and no one ever checked out the website to see what was there (or no one read enough to care) until this whole situation happened, at which time the organization got a bit more serious about its mission. However, it still does raise some questions about the due diligence of WIPO folks.

Though, conceivably, perhaps WIPO is just too busy fighting space lizards to read that carefully.

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Filed Under: copyright, space lizards, wipo

43 Comments

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Reader Comments

The First Word

“
Well space lizards aren't that much more fictional than IP maximalism's ability to protect creativity.

If you believe one is real, it isn't that much further of a leap to then accept the other.
—Toom1275
 ”

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  • This comment has been flagged by the community. Click here to show it
    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 30 May 2018 @ 9:30am

    YES, "someone posted some jokey text"; YOUR only purpose is to

    discredit WIPO / copyright in any way possible.

    Next STORY, please. Try for NON-"jokey".

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 30 May 2018 @ 9:36am

      Re: YES, "someone posted some jokey text"; YOUR only purpose is to

      Do you work for IP Centre? Do you know for a fact the text was a joke? Or are you just assuming the 80% of detail that fits your world view?

      Seriously, please fuck off. Nobody wants to read your drivel.

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 30 May 2018 @ 9:36am

      Re: YES, "someone posted some jokey text"; YOUR only purpose is to

      While your only purpose is to support corporations in their desire to control all of human culture for their own profit.

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Anonymous Coward, 30 May 2018 @ 10:58am

        Re: Re: YES, "someone posted some jokey text"; YOUR only purpose is to

        Space Lizard confirmed.

        [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 30 May 2018 @ 10:01am

      Re: YES, "someone posted some jokey text"; YOUR only purpose is to

      Clearly, you must then be a space lizard - no?

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Anonymous Coward, 30 May 2018 @ 11:49am

        Re: Re: YES, "someone posted some jokey text"; YOUR only purpose is to

        Throw him in the water. If he sinks, he's a human. If he floats, he's a space lizard and should be burned at the stake.

        Or am I confusing space lizards with something else?

        [ link to this | view in chronology ]

        • identicon
          Anonymous Coward, 30 May 2018 @ 6:12pm

          Re: Re: Re: YES, "someone posted some jokey text"; YOUR only purpose is to

          Not that I can see a downside to this treatment of blue. Why not both?

          [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      Ninja (profile), 30 May 2018 @ 11:23am

      Re: YES, "someone posted some jokey text"; YOUR only purpose is to

      Yes and we should be mocking WIPO very hard because they are willing to embrace contribution from pro-copyright morons and block opposing views (even if some may be moronic as well which I don't believe to be the case of the Pirate Parties generally speaking). A process that only listens to one side should be discredited yes.

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Toom1275 (profile), 30 May 2018 @ 9:34am

    Well space lizards aren't that much more fictional than IP maximalism's ability to protect creativity.

    If you believe one is real, it isn't that much further of a leap to then accept the other.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      Ninja (profile), 30 May 2018 @ 11:17am

      Re:

      To be fair space lizards do less harm to creativity than copyright maximalism.

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Anonymous Coward, 30 May 2018 @ 7:45pm

        Re: Re:

        Pirate Party should claim to be space lizards. Then they might be granted observer status at the WIPO.

        [ link to this | view in chronology ]

        • icon
          Toom1275 (profile), 31 May 2018 @ 6:50am

          Re: Re: Re:

          Pirate party: "Actually we're space lizards too."

          WIPO: "Oh wait, you were one of us all along? Welcome in, then! Apologies for the delay, comrades. All hail Smelborp!"

          [ link to this | view in chronology ]

          • identicon
            Anonymous Coward, 1 Jun 2018 @ 3:27am

            Re: Re: Re: Re: Smelborp

            Damn it! The rorrim elpoep have discovered some problems.

            All hail Gortrog the drazil!

            [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 30 May 2018 @ 9:34am

    Clearly the space lizards don't wish to be called out publicly so they took control of IP Centre and updated the web site. You'd do well to avoid such stories in the future lest TD also be taken over. This article probably won't stay up long.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Jason, 30 May 2018 @ 9:36am

    Their "pioneering awareness raising model" sure doesn't seem to be worth very much.

    On the flip side, maybe an expansive and maximalist approach to intellectual property is WIPO's way of ensuring that some knowledge can survive the space lizards' influence.

    Fight the lizards in space so we don't have to fight them down here!

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • This comment has been flagged by the community. Click here to show it
    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 30 May 2018 @ 9:38am

    So what?

    They aren't the ONLY group of persons advancing a false narrative around here.

    Maybe those pretty pink rainbow ponies will come down and save you from all this burdensome regulatory agencies you all keep clamoring for as though only the purest of driven snow would be poured out by the highest choir of angel(s) or the creator(s) him/her/themselves?

    You can't be saved from this in this way... at best you get a little lube before you are bent over... word is many of you like it that way anyways!

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      Stephen T. Stone (profile), 30 May 2018 @ 9:39am

      Re: So what?

      Wow, haven’t seen blatant homophobia around here in a long damn while.

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

      • This comment has been flagged by the community. Click here to show it
        identicon
        Anonymous Coward, 30 May 2018 @ 9:49am

        Re: Re: So what?

        Something tells me you have a low IQ or are on a High dose of stupid at the moment.

        [ link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Anonymous Coward, 30 May 2018 @ 10:03am

        Re: Re: So what?

        The abolishment of government and a very conspiratorial slant seems to correlate with homophobia and other phobias. Given how much further some talk radio hosts are pushing it with a conspiratorially inclined president I am not that surprised.

        [ link to this | view in chronology ]

        • This comment has been flagged by the community. Click here to show it
          identicon
          Anonymous Coward, 30 May 2018 @ 10:26am

          Re: Re: Re: So what?

          That is quite the mental leap you made there. Hit your head on a low hanging beam during the attempt?

          [ link to this | view in chronology ]

          • identicon
            Anonymous Coward, 30 May 2018 @ 12:53pm

            Re: Re: Re: Re: So what?

            Not only are you a crybaby, you’re a closet case crybaby. How retro.

            [ link to this | view in chronology ]

      • icon
        JMT (profile), 30 May 2018 @ 3:32pm

        Re: Re: So what?

        Yes the comment is complete nonsense, but I'm really struggling to see the homophobia here.

        [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Vic, 30 May 2018 @ 9:48am

    How do I contact them? I have some space lizard infestation in my backyard!

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 30 May 2018 @ 10:03am

    Maybe space lizard control can help with our infestation, I recommend they start in the White House.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 30 May 2018 @ 10:09am

      Re:

      I'm pretty sure that in the White House isn't a space lizard, but a space toad.

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      ShadowNinja (profile), 30 May 2018 @ 10:52am

      Re:

      You expect our Space Lizard Overloads to remove their fellow Space Lizard from a seat of power?

      Nice try non-space lizards, you can't overthrow your space lizard overloads so easily.

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 30 May 2018 @ 10:16am

    David Icke & reptilian wingnuttery

    Author David Icke is rather famous for pushing that idea of Space Alien Lizards having secretly taken over the world disguised as humans, kind of like in that 1980s TV series "V" -- though I always wondered who came up with the idea first.

    Though some people have speculated that 'lizard' was really a code word for 'jew' -- something no modern day [Western] publisher would have ever accepted, despite being much more plausible (or at least less ridiculous).

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      Mason Wheeler (profile), 30 May 2018 @ 10:26am

      Re: David Icke & reptilian wingnuttery

      So you're saying it's a plausible theory that the world is secretly run by Space Jews?

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 30 May 2018 @ 11:48am

      Re: David Icke & reptilian wingnuttery

      I hereby declare your feeble-minded attempt to draw an antisemite conclusion failed.

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Wyrm (profile), 30 May 2018 @ 10:44am

    Double checked

    Wayback machine doesn't show any mention of "space lizards" in the IP Center home page.
    It was likely a very short-lived hack or joke that was fixed as soon as discovered.

    Also, IP Watch uses Godzilla as an example of Space Lizard. I don't remember anything about Godzilla coming from space.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Coyne Tibbets (profile), 30 May 2018 @ 11:41am

    All in tbe name

    It's all in the name. If PP wanted a seat, they should have rebranded. No one investigates past the name.

    Maybe "IP Advancement League" would have done it? (Doesn't say how they're advancing it. But they can explain that on their website, no one will read it.)

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 30 May 2018 @ 11:55am

    Maybe not so funny. This article (www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/10/how-spot-reptilians-runing-us-government/354496) suggests many government officials are already under the control of space lizards.

    Certainly helps explain the IP connection.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Uriel-238 (profile), 30 May 2018 @ 12:08pm

    The IP Centre is crazy!

    The Reptilians are from the Earth's outer core, not from space!

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    ECA (profile), 30 May 2018 @ 12:29pm

    HOW TO:

    Hide a lobbyist group under your nose..
    https://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/washington-whispers/2013/01/28/10-strange-lobbying-groups-th at-we-swear-are-real

    The U.S. Association of Reptile Keepers
    Cigar Rights Of America
    California Cling Peach Growers
    Catfish Farmers of America

    https://www.buzzfeed.com/katienotopoulos/20-weird-associations-you-didnt-know-existed?utm_ter m=.ucW9wdxKD#.pdGa6q942

    Association for Astrological Networking
    The Association for Professional Basketball Research
    Association for Christian Retail
    Association for the Preservation of the Coelacanth

    Lobby groups spend considerable amounts of money on election advertising as well. For example, the 2011 documentary film Hot Coffee contains interviews of former Mississippi Supreme Court Justice Oliver E. Diaz, Jr. and evidence the US Chamber of Commerce paid for advertising to unseat him.

    Drug Policy Alliance, whose principal goal is to end the American "War on Drugs".

    Energy Lobby, an umbrella term for the representatives of large oil, gas, coal, and electric utilities corporations that attempt to influence governmental policy in the United States.

    US Chamber of Commerce, by far the biggest lobby group in the US by expenditures.
    The United States Chamber of Commerce (USCC) is a business-oriented American lobbying group. It is not an agency of the United States government.
    The Chamber is the largest lobbying group in the U.S., spending more money than any other lobbying organization on a yearly basis.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Chamber_of_Commerce
    GO READ THIS, its fun..

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Samuel Abram (profile), 30 May 2018 @ 4:46pm

    Space Lizards

    I, for one, welcome our new Space Lizard overlords!

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    dickeyrat, 31 May 2018 @ 4:47am

    Their tactics must be working. We don't actually have any Space Lizards around, now, do we?

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    K`Tetch (profile), 31 May 2018 @ 10:19am

    To be fair...

    The IP Center is not that more wacky than PPI. This is the PPI that has had votes on how to conduct a vote on how to conduct a vote (I'm serious!); spent 5 years to try and get a bank account (getting the UK party in trouble with UK financial regulators as PPI has been flagged for money laundering activities), but my favourite was when two of the PPI 'leaders' went to the Bali conference in 2013, and introduced a 'paper' that one of the leaders wrote himself literally the night before - https://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/minist_e/mc9_e/ngo_ppi_e.pdf - and then boasted about it being published, despite their policy of publishing EVERYTHING submitted. When he was criticized for the terrible submission, he tried to blame it on the 3rd member of the group, a woman, forgetting that the method used to draft it (etherpad) shows who wrote what, and when. Following his holiday in Bali, said leader of PPI then pushed for manditory financing by national parties, with the brunt on Sweden, and Iceland, despite PPI having a very German focus. That's when Australia, the UK, Sweden and Iceland quit (the US was never a member)
    Oh, and they also 'fired' their entire court of arbitration, when the validity of the German leadership was questioned.

    When I founded PPI 10 years ago (next month), it was to provide support for parties, and be a central resources clearinghouse to aid state and regional parties in their national and regional objectives. Now it's become an NGO lobbying group, so that its German 'core' can get cushy lobbying and pundit jobs.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Albert Günther, 1 Jun 2018 @ 3:55am

    Look out for Eddie Izzard and the Wizards,

    eating lizard's gizzards in blizzards, wearing vizards.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    amozabael (profile), 2 Jun 2018 @ 10:36am

    Pirate Party Astroturfing

    The Pirate Party should form a shell organization with a more attractive name like: Organzation for the Promotion of Intellectual Property Laws.

    Take measures to conceal the fact it is tied to the Pirate Party. Then get that shell organization approved.

    BINGO! Now we have some eyes and ears in the WIPO.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Uriel-238 (profile), 2 Jun 2018 @ 2:34pm

    Pirate lobbiests

    I think full transparency including announcing cross-institutional affiliation is one of the platform policies of the Pirate Party.

    It's much like how the Green Party's anti-corruption policies keep it from getting many financial supporters.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 2 Jun 2018 @ 7:53pm

    Who wants to be a space lizard?

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]


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