Public Knowledge

Like the internet before it, 3D printing has the potential to be a revolutionary, disruptive technology. Because it allows people to create, copy, and modify physical objects in digital files, it will provoke conversations that redefine intellectual property.

Public Knowledge has been working at this intersection of 3D printing and issues like copyright and patent policy, making sure that large incumbents embrace 3D printing as an opportunity instead of reacting to it as a threat.

That’s why we’re hosting the second 3D/DC in the Rayburn House Office Building tomorrow. We want to make sure that the voices of 3D printing innovators are heard in Washington.

Earlier this month, we asked you to share your cable stories, and an impressive number of you did. While many of your stories focused on a lack of competition among cable providers and rising bills, there are plenty of other factors that contribute to this frustrating state of affairs. Public Knowledge is working to solve these problems by proposing a vision of the future of video, with concrete recommendations for how to get there.

Your comments highlight the need for more competition and clearly show that change is vital. Here is a selection of what you had to say:

“I cut the cable last month. Went from $250/month for a UVerse service to $50/month for just Internet only.  Now with a free-to-air antenna and my Apple TV together with a few monthly subscriptions I am saving a fortune and getting most of what I want to see.

One year ago today, something incredible happened. With a unified voice, the online community spoke out against legislation that would have crippled the internet in the name of copyright protection.

January 18, 2012, marked the largest response to internet legislation in history, proving that the voices millions of people are louder than the millions of dollars spent. So many people contacted Congress on that single day, in fact, that Congress’s servers went down. Within 48 hours, SOPA (in the House) and PIPA (its Senate cousin) were both shelved. You won.

This December, the 193 countries of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) will gather in Dubai to revise the International Telecommunication Regulations (ITRs). Before diving into specific issues and proposals, let’s lay out how we got here, how PK is involved, and what’s at stake.

Public Knowledge is excited to be part of the 91 organizations and 38 influencers signing on to the Declaration of Internet Freedom, which launched today.

As Cory Doctorow succinctly put it, “There is no copyright policy, only Internet policy; there is no Internet policy, only policy.” Today’s focus on increased IP enforcement will have a dramatic impact on the way people interact with the most democratic communications platform that has ever existed: the internet. Disproportionate IP enforcement will stifle creativity and create gatekeepers that block the free flow of information online.

No government or private company should be able to shut down wireless service in an emergency, several public interest groups told the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in comments filed late April 30.

The Commission had asked for comments on the issue in the wake of a shutdown of service in San Francisco by the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) District.

The following is attributed to Rashmi Rangnath, director of Public Knowledge’s Global Knowledge Initiative:

“Once again the U.S. Trade Representative has produced a fact-free report that ignored any point of view except that of big media companies. We are distressed that countries which have yet to pass harsh legislation being pushed around the world remain on the watch lists, while countries which give in to U.S. pressure, such as Spain, are removed when they pass punitive legislation. 

“We are particularly distressed that Canada remains on the Priority Watch List, even though Canadian laws provide greater rights to copyright holders than U.S. laws. It appears that these rights are not stringent enough for the special interests pushing for even stronger measures.”

The following is attributed to Gigi B. Sohn, president and CEO of Public Knowledge:

“It is a shame that the owners of Hulu have decided to restrict access to the site’s content to those with pay-TV subscriptions. By all accounts, the site was doing well supported by advertising, attracting millions of visitors every month.

“Restricting access to legal content will only drive consumers to find illegal content. In particular, we are concerned about restricting access to TV programming available over free over-the-air broadcasting. It should be available online, regardless whether anyone subscribes to cable or satellite TV. By putting more restrictions on consumer access to popular content, the entertainment industry only removes any justification for stronger “anti-piracy” laws it is perpetually seeking from Congress.

Without fair use, we wouldn’t be able to criticize, comment on, parody, or quote anything without permission first. This is the exception that makes this Yogi Bear alternative ending possible, that lets you photocopy the pages you need for that final research paper you’re writing, and that allows Jon Stewart to show clips from the news networks he’s criticizing.

Not every unauthorized use of a copyrighted work is an unlawful use. But with the never-ending conversation about copyright enforcement these days, it would be easy to assume that you can’t even touch a copyrighted work without permission from its author.

Consumer Federation of America (CFA) and Public Knowledge today told key lawmakers that the planned merger between Universal Music Group and EMI would give the combined company “the power to distort or even determine the fate of digital distribution models.”

In a nine-page letter to the leaders of the Senate Antitrust Subcommittee, CFA and PK noted that the combined market share would have a market share of more than 40 percent, far above the five companies targeted by the Justice Department in the agency’s recent suit against publishers alleging price-fixing for e-books.