Intellectual Property Laws Harming, Not Helping, Innovation

Say That Again

from the people-are-starting-to-get-it dept

It looks like more and more people are starting to catch on to the fact that all of these battles over intellectual property have nothing to do with “free stuff” or “stealing” but about trying to reform a system that is holding back innovation – despite the fact that it’s very charter is to promote innovation. Current intellectual property law is being abused to create artificial monopolies. Instead of promoting innovation, it’s being used to protect business models and block out market competition. That’s not healthy. While those trying to abuse the obsolete system always seem to claim they’re trying to help the everyday worker keep his or her job, the evidence suggests otherwise. Just follow the money and see where it ends up. There are some great quotes in the article from copyright lawyer Howard Knopf, who points out that middlemen always try to increase intellectual property protection because it lets them continue to make money off of others. He points out that they they “always speak in the name of the creators but frequently don’t act in their interests.” The second point is that most people who fight for stronger intellectual property protection aren’t those pushing for more innovation, but those who are afraid of more innovation. They’re Luddites, who fear how new technology can obliterate their current way of making money – and he can cite examples going back 300 years of Luddites making the same sorts of arguments that the copyright cartel is making today. The writer believes that a good part of what’s holding our economy back are these obsolete intellectual property regulations that are making it more difficult for us to innovate and fuel the economy. He suggests that it, alone, is the most important issue facing the technology industry today.