Another day, another constituency speaking out against PROTECT IP and the damage that it will do. This time, it’s a large group of law professors (over 90 have signed on so far), including some big names. The professors’ full letter is embedded below, but the key points are found right at the beginning:

Although the problems the Act attempts to address — online copyright and trademark infringement — are serious ones presenting new and difficult enforcement challenges, the approach taken in the Act has grave constitutional infirmities, potentially dangerous consequences for the stability and security of the Internet’s addressing system, and will undermine United States foreign policy and strong support of free expression on the Internet around the world.

Indeed. One would hope that politicians would start paying attention. Already, we’ve seen technologists, some of the top funders of innovation and some of the biggest names in the news business come out against the bill. Who’s actually supporting it? So far, just a coalition of businesses who seek to block competition and get increased gov’t protection to try to cover for their own failures to innovate and adapt.

What I find most amusing, of course, is that when some of us who have been talking about this bill from the beginning raised some of the Constitutional questions about it, we were told that we had no idea what we were talking about. I wonder if people will continue to say that now that some of the most respected law professors around are signing this letter?

Permalink | Comments | Email This Story





&partnerID=167&key=segment"/> .8626,cat.TechBiz
.rss"/>