Copyright reform or chaos under Obama?

06 Nov 08 23:21 by Randomus in category Uncategorized To news archive

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President-elect Barack Obama, the next President of the United States, has an uphill climb when he takes over control of the country in January, with several different technology issues to deal with.

Politics aside, tech industry analysts are speculating what impact Obama will have in regards to copyright reform and other key tech issues.

Although Sen. John McCain touted the need for copyright enforcement in the United States, Obama said "we need to update and reform our copyright and patent systems to promote civic discourse, innovation, and investment while ensuring that intellectual property owners are fairly treated."

Silicon Valley and other tech-friendly voters seemed to agree more with Obama’s stance on issues, although we’ll have to wait and see what he does.

Only time will tell what kind of copyright strategy Obama will use, as he has been overly vague regarding his desire to amend the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. When asked while campaigning if allowing content owners to make a legal backup of a computer game or DVD after purchase, he said he would back a DMCA change "in concept."

Regarding file sharing, Obama wishes to broaden the amount of online privacy Internet users have, which could lead to interesting times with the Record Industry Association of America (RIAA) and Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA).

On a global scale, Obama realizes that China is a major copyright offender, and more enforcement is needed to combat the problem. Along with China, it’ll be interesting to see how he deals with Russia and other eastern European nations, where piracy is rampant and continues to grow at a mind-boggling rate.

Even though issues relating to technology are important for a lot of people, the U.S. has more pressing matter, and it is unknown when, if ever, Obama will worry about the DMCA, copyright infringement and file sharing, and other issues discussed in the tech world.

27 Comments

guest: Posts: 15288; Posted on: 07 Nov 08 04:05

1. All things considered, copyright reform, while desperately needed, is going to be a very low priority for the forseeable future.

2. I fail to see why people believe the Democrats are more likely to restore fair use rights. Both the DMCA and the Mickey Mouse copyright extension act were signed into law by Clinton administration and let's face it, at least some of those celebrity endorsements are going to have strings attached.

dentman42: Posts: 648; Posted on: 07 Nov 08 22:02

What Osama, er Obama is really saying is that the industry isn't paying him enough and they'd better pony up if they want him to pass their laws.

guest: Posts: 15288; Posted on: 08 Nov 08 00:24

dentman42 has got it right. The content owners have so much money that it's no contest. Remember the Golden Rule - he who has the gold makes the rules, especially with an organization as venal as Congress.

CJF1983: Posts: 80; Posted on: 08 Nov 08 01:31

@ Kurt_Aust

Give the Democrats a chance and will see where things go, don't be so quick to judge them we may get our fair use rights back, no one can say for sure what our fate will be with the new congress and President-Elect Obama.

DukeNukem: Posts: 1003; Posted on: 08 Nov 08 02:50

Obama has other things to worry about right now, like heavily armed Klan members. I'm not a racist, but word is that McCain is to blame for letting a black man get elected president. I say that Bush is to blame. Bush messed up the US so bad that American would have voted for Tina Turner if it meant something different. McCain is, in my opinion, another Bush. What am I trying to say here? Well, I'm not sure. I just ate a bunch of different pills I found in my grandmother's medicine cabinet and I'm feeling kind of woozy.

As far as copyright reform goes, I'm guessing it's pretty far down on Obama's list right now. Getting the US economy up and running again is his #1 priority.

rontheripper: Posts: 20; Posted on: 08 Nov 08 03:10

An Obama reacrtion will be something like this:

People making under 45,000 a year will be allowed to pirate while people making more will have to pay for a retail copy.http://www.cdfreaks.com/jochem/../im...4/bigsmile.gif

guest: Posts: 15288; Posted on: 08 Nov 08 12:05

@rontheripper, whats funny is, thats actually not a bad idea, there has to be some benefits of being poor, just like the rich have their own benefits.

guest: Posts: 15288; Posted on: 08 Nov 08 16:23

We survived four years of Jimmy Carter, I'm sure we can survive the next four.

guest: Posts: 15288; Posted on: 08 Nov 08 18:23

"Obama has other things to worry about right now, like heavily armed Klan members"

You would know, wouldn't you?

DukeNukem: Posts: 1003; Posted on: 08 Nov 08 19:23

That's it? That's your big, well-thought-out comeback? At least take the time to sign up to become a member instead of coming on here as guest. Or are you too busy coming up with witty comebacks for other Web sites?

dw4819: Posts: 2; Posted on: 08 Nov 08 23:26

deleted (spam)

dw4819: Posts: 2; Posted on: 08 Nov 08 23:27

deleted (spam)

SandiDandi420: Posts: 1; Posted on: 11 Nov 08 06:08

I agree with both you zzyzxroad and you also rontheripper...we poor folks deserve a little love here after all those years of "the rich get richer." Its ridulous to have a country ran in that way and I am glad that the "lower class" might actually be able to get somewhere with their own lives instead of watching so many rich people just get richer. Only fair man....

steven2874: Posts: 1161; Posted on: 12 Nov 08 21:35

PukeDukem writes- "Well, I'm not sure. I just ate a bunch of different pills I found in my grandmother's medicine cabinet and I'm feeling kind of woozy."
This explains much of his incoherent blather.

guest: Posts: 15288; Posted on: 13 Nov 08 04:51

Its sad there are so many nutcases out there that will be very angry at the fact the president is now black! The news has already shown people caught trying to organise his assassination, which is very sad. I really hope he manages to complete his term as president, and the nutcases out there are always stopped. The newspapers keep stating obama is black, but obamas mum was WHITE. doesnt that make him half cast? best of both. I hope his time as president is a good one, and after w, things cant get much worse. lol!

steven2874: Posts: 1161; Posted on: 13 Nov 08 16:09

@georgeo
You write: "The newspapers keep stating obama is black, but obamas mum was WHITE. doesnt that make him half cast?"
I believe the word is "half-caste" and seldom if ever used today in the United States. The term "mixed race" or "multi-ethnic" is preferred. I do agree with your points, however and fortunately bigots like PukeDukem are a vanishing breed. Ever notice how the haters always begin with "I'm not a racist..." and then spew their venom?

DukeNukem: Posts: 1003; Posted on: 13 Nov 08 16:25

The more you talk, the less you say. Where do you get off calling me a bigot? What proof do you have that I treat white people any differently than black, yellow, or brown? If I was to begin my posts with, "I'm not a short guy", would that mean I'm a short guy? Please be so kind as to point out examples of my bigotry. Your brain is not wired right, man.

steven2874: Posts: 1161; Posted on: 13 Nov 08 16:44

You just don't get it, do you Pukem? You think you can rant like an ignorant blow-hard, throwing out bile like, "...word is that McCain is to blame for letting a black man get elected president", and go un-challenged? Crawl back under your rock and take your macho avatar with you.

CDR Sam: Posts: 233; Posted on: 13 Nov 08 17:43

Obama is black? Your kidding right?

I did not read DukeNukem comments as being a bigoted..well maybe about Sony Blu-ray. Shame on you for not loving the Sony way

DukeNukem: Posts: 1003; Posted on: 13 Nov 08 18:04

Well, yes. I *do* think I can rant when the occasion calls for it. I stand by what I write and I know what I am, despite your words. I'm going to keep my awesome avatar and leave you alone to fight with yourself.

DukeNukem: Posts: 1003; Posted on: 13 Nov 08 18:10

@ Sam,

Yes, according to both television and the internet (neither of which has ever lied to me before), Obama is black. However, Lindsay Lohan doesn't know the word black, as proven in a recent interview.

"It's an amazing feeling. It's our first, you know, colored president."

Thanks for your time, Lindsay. Back to you, Sam.

steven2874: Posts: 1161; Posted on: 15 Nov 08 15:46

Lindsay calling President-elect Obama "colored" is just ignorant. PukeNukem babbling "...word is that McCain is to blame for letting a black man get elected president." is both ignorant and racist. Pointing out some airhead celebrity's stupidity in no way excuses the moron with golden avatar.

Crabbyappleton: Posts: 5757; Posted on: 15 Nov 08 16:21

Steven...Steven settle down! You'll wet the bed tonight.

DukeNukem: Posts: 1003; Posted on: 15 Nov 08 16:27

Don't worry, Crabby. I'm pretty sure he wears adult diapers. Anyway, I have to get back to work. I'm trying to come up with some more racist remarks to piss off nobody but steven2874. Such an odd name. His mother must not have liked him very much. Personally, I would have named him steven666.

Witchdoctor6969: Posts: 30; Posted on: 15 Nov 08 16:52

Half caste huh.... I lived in south Philly for three years, and to most people in the area I lived in, if you were half white and half black, you weren't black enough for the blacks, and you weren't white enough for the whites.........

And now for some words of wisdom from Lt. Commander Data.

Please continue the petty bickering, it intrigues me

DukeNukem: Posts: 1003; Posted on: 15 Nov 08 17:39

"if you were half white and half black, you weren't black enough for the blacks, and you weren't white enough for the whites"

Sounds like racist talk to me.

steven2874: Posts: 1161; Posted on: 15 Nov 08 18:36

Crappy sez-
"Steven...Steven settle down! You'll wet the bed tonight."
Pukem sez-
"Don't worry, Crabby. I'm pretty sure he wears adult diapers."
Their ignorance pointed out here by Mr.2874, they resort to the bathroom humor again. If they're not obsessing about my ass they're worrying over my depends.

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Copyright reform or chaos under Obama?

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