C|Net News has a roundup of the impact of the election on various tech and IP issus. If Rick Boucher becomes Chair of the IP subcommittee, obviously he will be able to force movement on his long-dormant proposals to expand "fair use" in ways that would destroy DRM, and thus the whole U.S. system of intellectual property protection. (My editorial comment - not C|Net's.)

Other issues -- net neutrality is back on the agenda; broadcast flag may be on the agenda for the lame duck session-- if not, it will go nowhere.

To the extent that the anti-net neutrality or pro-IP forces are assuming that a Bush veto would save them from anything extreme, they are whistling in the dark. Bush is not a veto-er, and is unlikely to change. As bitter conservatives say, if he signed the anti-free speech McCain-Feingold campaign finance law, he'll sign anything.

posted by James DeLong @ 10:15 AM | Access: Commons, Fair Use, Orphan Works, Public Domain, Telecom

Link to this Entry | Printer-Friendly | Email a Comment | Post a Comment(0)