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Public Knowledge: How the Trans-Pacific Partnership Jeopardizes Fair Use

A letter drafted by the Fair Deal Coalition, signed by OpenMedia and a coalition of 14 other groups warns the White House of the TPP’s potential chilling effects on the right to knowledge and fair use as well as copyright reform efforts of Congress and the Copyright Office. TPP provisions will grievously hurt the Internet & our right to free expression, take action at StoptheSecrecy.net Article by Michael Baak for Public Knowledge 

A letter drafted by the Fair Deal Coalition, signed by OpenMedia and a coalition of 14 other groups warns the White House of the TPP’s potential chilling effects on the right to knowledge and fair use as well as copyright reform efforts of Congress and the Copyright Office. TPP provisions will grievously hurt the Internet & our right to free expression, take action at StoptheSecrecy.net

Article by Michael Baak for Public Knowledge

Earlier this week, Public Knowledge and 15 other global civil society groups sent a letter to the officials of the various governments that will meet and finalize the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) provisions next week, urging them to rewrite parts of the trade agreement’s current intellectual property chapter. This is Public Knowledge’s latest effort to warn governments and the public of the harmful aspects of the TPP, which has been secretly negotiated among government officials behind closed doors. Recently, we sent letters to the United States Trade Representative and even alerted the White House to the TPP’s potential chilling effects on the right to knowledge and fair use as well as copyright reform efforts of Congress and the Copyright Office. 

We particularly urge the governments to adopt provisions in the TPP that encourage flexible exceptions and limitations (like fair use) to copyright. Only a flexible approach will give each country the opportunity to write domestic laws that best suit the needs of its citizens as consumers of intellectual property and as users of communication technologies.  

Exceptions and limitations are focal points to protect the everyday use of communications products. Although rapid technological developments may require updating intellectual property protections in the U.S. and abroad, such protective schemes should not disrupt the delicate balance between the rights of creators and the rights of average consumers. This balance has been maintained by exceptions and limitations to intellectual property protection. Within these boundaries, the public has enjoyed countless beneficial uses of intellectual property without having to worry about legal liability.

- Read more at Public Knowledge 



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