Obama, Intellectual Property and the Open Internet

The US Pirate Party provides an assessment of the Obama administration's stance toward intellectual property and the open internet, one year into the president's term:

However, during his time in office, he has NOT stood for an open internet. Instead, he has made every effort he can to prevent it from coming about.

• In September 2009, President Obama appointed intellectual property scholar Victoria A. Espinel to be the first Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator (the Copyright Czar).  The CEO of the National Music Publishers Association said, "The music publishing and songwriting industry looks forward to working with Victoria in this capacity and values the [Obama] Administration's commitment to bringing to fruition the goals of the PRO-IP Act."

• Since his election, Obama has appointed five RIAA lawyers to the justice department, even after several dozen groups pleaded with him to stop choosing individuals with blatant special interests.

• Obama's Department of Justice has supported a $1,920,000 damages judgement against Jammie Rasset-Thomas, a single mother who was convicted of illegaly sharing just 24 songs (roughly two CDs), with little-to-no evidence showing she was behind the filesharing.

• Most recently, Obama said in a town hall meeting, "one of the problems we had [under the previous administration] was insufficient protection for intellectual property rights. That is true for China ... these are issues that have to be addressed"

These are not just abuses against individuals. These are abuses against the development of our country and the growth of knowledge.