[LINK] RIAA, MPAA and US Chamber of Commerce declare war on blind and disabled people

[Kim Holburn]

http://www.boingboing.net/2009/12/09/writers-sign-onto-le.html

> Writers! Sign onto letter in support of copyright treaty to benefit  
> blind and disabled people

>  The World Blind Union World Intellectual Property Organization  
> treaty proposal, formally endorsed by Brazil, Ecuador and Paraguay  
> is supported by nearly all developing countries and by disabilities  
> and consumer organizations but the position that developed  
> countries, like the European governments and United States, will  
> take next week is still unclear.
>
> The publishers are lobbying against the treaty but there are a lot  
> of authors, writers and journalist that want their books and writing  
> to be read by the millions of people who are blind and have other  
> reading disabilities and that recognize the importance to support  
> this treaty proposal.
>
> We are therefore encouraging authors and writers that support the  
> treaty proposal to sign this letter to WIPO and its Member States
>



http://www.boingboing.net/2009/12/11/riaa-mpaa-and-us-cha.html

> RIAA, MPAA and US Chamber of Commerce declare war on blind and  
> disabled people
> Earlier this week, I told you about an open letter for writers in  
> support of a treaty that would ensure that blind and disabled people  
> all over the world would have legal protection when they converted  
> books and other written matter to accessible format.
> You'd think this would be a slam-dunk at the United Nations' World  
> Intellectual Property Organization. Who could oppose non-profit  
> blind/disabled groups helping disabled people get access to written  
> work?
>
> Well, The US Chamber of Commerce, the MPAA and the RIAA, that's who.  
> All three organizations have urged the US trade delegation to oppose  
> the treaty, because they fear it might set a precedent that users  
> have rights to copyrighted works.
>
>
> But that prospect doesn't sit well with American business. The U.S.  
> Chamber of Commerce, the nation's largest lobby representing 3  
> million businesses, argues that the plan being proposed by Brazil,  
> Ecuador and Paraguay, "raises a number of serious concerns," (.pdf)  
> chief among them the specter that the treaty would spawn a rash of  
> internet book piracy.


-- 
Kim Holburn
IT Network & Security Consultant
Ph: +39 06 855 4294  M: +39 3494957443
mailto:kim at holburn.net  aim://kimholburn
skype://kholburn - PGP Public Key on request