Policy Blog Entries by Alex Curtis

A Reboot of the In the Know Podcast, where we present an overview of recent news and events regarding public policy and its effect on the information commons.  In this episode, Michael Weinberg and Alex Curtis discuss the following hot topics of the week: the Fring / Skype mobile video calling battle, PK's "third way" reclassification filing, new business models for the music business, PK's Allvid filing, and Brazil's copyright reform proposals.

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Public Knowledge’s Legal Director Harold Feld explains what “Special Access” is, why you should think of wholesale Internet access costs like barrel of oil costs, and why the FCC should be assessing whether the market is competitive.

Last night, Public Knowledge had the privilege of cosponsoring “A Conversation with Cory Doctorow” with CopyNight DC and The New America Foundation. Gigi made brief opening remarks to set the stage for Cory who “spoke to his dystopian vision of the growing conflict between the democratic principles of the Internet and the growing financial demands of the commercial industries.”

Many thanks to Thomas Gideon for making this event happen and James Losey and the NAF staff for co-hosting.

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Public Knowledge’s Legal Director Harold Feld discusses the Obama Administration’s stance on the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA), the problems with the current draft, and suggests a way forward by removing the controversial parts.

In this episode of Public Knowledge’s 5 Minutes with Harold Feld, Harold discusses the recent debate over Jonathan Coulton’s creative commons licensed videos being used on Viacom’s SpikeTV. The point is less about who owes who money and more to highlight that copyrights are complicated, and the danger of unintended consequences when making copyright policy in Washington, DC.

Public Knowledge held an event on 6/3/2010 to discuss how the public airwaves are used. Called “Toward a Sustainable Spectrum Policy: Rethinking Federal Spectrum,” this first video is an introduction by Public Knowledge President Gigi B. Sohn and an overview presentation on “Averting the Spectrum Crisis” by Assistant Secretary of Commerce Larry Strickling,  the administrator of  the for the National Telecommunications and Information Administration.

Watch the video of PK’s Sherwin Siy and others on a panel discussing the Google Book Search Settlement on May 11, 2010. The panel was hosted by BroadbandBreakfast.com for the inaugural Intellectual Property Breakfast Club.

Want what’s best for your children’s future? Join us on June 3rd to talk about our nation’s options for the public airwaves.

We’re having a half-day conference on Capitol Hill. Find out more and RSVP here.

Harold Feld, Public Knowledge Legal Director, participated on a panel held on May 4, 2010 at New America Foundation on the topic of whether the FCC has the authority to enforce its Net Neutrality principles and protect consumers.

Other panelists included:

Hank Hultquist
Vice President-Federal Regulatory Affairs
AT&T

Linda Kinney
Vice President, Law & Regulation
DISH Network

Barbara Esbin
Senior Fellow and Director
Center for Communications & Competition
Progress & Freedom Foundation

Moderator
Michael Calabrese
Director, Wireless Future Program
New America Foundation

On Wednesday, April 7, 2010, Public Knowledge President Gigi B. Sohn appeared on PBS NewsHour to talk about the recent D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals decision that gave telephone and cable companies more power to control consumers' Internet access. Watch the video clip above and download an audio podcast of the episode here (right click, "save as").