The World Intellectual Property Organization is hosting an online forum on IP issues from June 1 through June 15 (i.e., the conversation started last week). The focus of the discussion is the World Summit on the Information Society, the series of meetings looking at the global evolution of information and communication technology access (we wrote about the previous meeting, in December of 2003; the next meeting is a few months away, in November of 2005).

Intellectual property issues -- patents, copyright, free vs. closed source, genetic rights and the like -- show up often on WorldChanging, and (like many topics we discuss) solutions are neither easy nor obvious, but are possible to achieve with sufficient reasoned discussion. This is a good opportunity to get in and have your say about the direction global policies should take, and the concerns the world should keep in mind, as information technologies continue to spread.

(Thank you, Agatha Dobbs!)

Yes, I already went through all 10 themes here, and posted my responses on their site as well as my own (so I know where they will be next year when we may not be able to find the discussions).

Overall, I noted that there was a very firm implicit defense of *publishers* instead of creators. That says a lot, and with more input - if this isn't just some odd form of meeting the minimum requirements.

Bonus link: When arrested for driving under the influence in Florida - Ask For The Source Code. Really, really weird thing to consider.

Posted by: Taran Rampersad on June 8, 2005 3:50 PM