A diverse group of academics, librarians, industry officials, and privacy advocates met today to plot opposition to the Administration's efforts to modify copyright law. About 40 people met at American University in Washington, D.C., to share their concerns and figure out how to try to modify the legislation. Although their specific agendas vary greatly, the members of the meeting share a common concern that the legislation favors content providers over consumers and distributors. Among the attendees were professors Peter Jaszi of American University. Despite the diverse nature of the group, it is aligned against powerful interests strongly supportive of the Administration's approach to copyright, the software and recording industry, publishers, and studios, among others.
Hearings are likely to be held next month.
The Administration deliberately omitted from its legislative package any relief from punishment for online service providers, which are now strictly liable for infringements committed by their customers. The white paper also offers controversial interpretations of unsettled law. For example, the paper's interpretation of the first-sale doctrine, if adopted by courts, would limit the ability of the owners of copyright works to dispose of them. Whether the group can transform and animate their ideological opposition into a political force remains to be seen. Standing alone, academics and librarians don't hold much sway.