Press Releases

The following statement is attributed to Gigi B. Sohn, president and co-founder of Public Knowledge:

“The data to be collected from the broadband maps authorized under the stimulus legislation should provide a wealth of information for consumers and policymakers.

The following statement is attributed to Gigi B. Sohn, president and co-founder of Public Knowledge:

“We are pleased that the requirements for the broadband grant program include strong non-discrimination and interconnection conditions so that some lawful Internet content and applications are not favored over others. These conditions will help consumers and create vitality in the services created by the program.

“We are also glad to see strong disclosure requirements for practices or methods carriers might employ to allocate capacity among different applications or providers.

“We have some reservations about the ability of carriers to offer so-called ‘managed services.’ The point of the stimulus program is to ensure widespread access to the broadband Internet.

The Petition is available here.

Six public interest groups asked the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to stop the cable industry from effectively locking consumers into low-cost, low-function set-top boxes, a move which would frustrate the Congressional intent of having a wide variety of more sophisticated devices available.

On June 1, the FCC granted permission to set-top box manufacturer Evolution to manufacturer boxes for the next 3 years that do not use CableCard or other “common reliance” technologies on condition the boxes remain “low capability,” i.e., without capability to provide HD, PVR or internet access.

The following statement is attributed to Gigi B. Sohn, president and co-founder of Public Knowledge:

‘We are very pleased that the U.S. Supreme Court today declined to hear a challenge to Cablevision’s Remote Digital Recording Service.

“From a common-sense point of view, the lower court, and the U.S. Solicitor General, were correct in their interpretation of the copyright law that a recording is a recording, whether done on a set-top box or at the cable head-end, as Cablevision’s proposed service allows. By following the recommendation of the Solicitor General by not taking the case, the Supreme Court has struck a blow for the rights of consumers and for innovation.

“Consumers will benefit from lower costs and more recording options, while cable companies will see greater efficiencies in their operations.”

The following statement is attributed to Gigi B. Sohn, president and co-founder of Public Knowledge:

“We welcomed the news that the Senate this evening confirmed Larry Strickling to be the director of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA).

“The agency faces some challenging months ahead in setting the ground rules for, and then administering, a $4.7 billion telecommunications stimulus program that ranges from broadband mapping to creating demand for services to building networks. Larry’s leadership will be welcomed as his agency takes on the monumental tasks before it.”

The following statement is attributed to Gigi B. Sohn, president and co-founder of Public Knowledge:

“We are pleased that the Senate has confirmed Julius Genachowski to be the new chairman of the FCC and Commissioner Robert McDowell to serve on the Commission for another term.

“We look forward to working with both of them, as well as with nominee Meredith Atwell Baker when she is confirmed, as the Commission grapples with the pivotal issues needed to revitalize our economy and make certain all of our citizens have the advantages of advanced telecommunications networks.”

The following statement is attributed to Gigi B. Sohn, president and co-founder of Public Knowledge:

“We are disappointed but not surprised at the announcement this morning by Comcast and Time Warner. It is obvious that their ‘TV Everywhere’ is not TV for Everyone.

The following statement is attributed to Gigi B.Sohn, president and co-founder of Public Knowledge:

“President Obama has made an outstanding appointment in nominating David Kappos to become director of the Patent and Trademark Office. Kappos’ background with a leading technology company ensures that he is aware of the need for reform of the patent process.

“We also hope that Kappos will reevaluate the role that PTO has played in copyright issues, concentrating instead on fixing the patent issues that need immediate attention.”

The following statement is attributed to Gigi B. Sohn, president and co-founder of Public Knowledge:

“We are very pleased that the Senate Commerce Committee acted so quickly to approve the nominations of Julius Genachowski to be the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission and Robert McDowell to serve another term as commissioner.

“We look forward to the full Senate confirming the nominees quickly. The issues awaiting Commission action are too important to be delayed any longer.”

Public Knowledge today said the U.S. Supreme Court should overturn a lower court ruling that, if upheld, would rewrite copyright law so that consumer choices in the goods they buy, and what they do with those items after purchase, would be severely restricted.

In the case, Costco Wholesale v. Omega S.A., (No. 08-1423) the warehouse store wanted to sell Omega watches it purchased legally from a third party, which sold the watches to Costco. Omega sued to block the transaction, however, arguing that the watches, which were made in Switzerland and sold overseas, carried its copyrighted logo, and that U.S. laws didn’t apply to the sales. The particular laws to which Omega objected are the “first sale” laws that allow anyone who buys a product to resell it, give it away or otherwise legally do as they wish. Omega claimed the sale of the watches to a third party infringed on its copyright of the logo, and the U.S. Appeals Court for the Ninth Circuit in San Francisco agreed in a Sept.