What Does USTR Have Against The Public Domain? Opposing TPP Provision In Support Of Public Domain (original) (raw)

from the for-what-possible-reason? dept

Earlier, we wrote about some of the sections of the leaked IP chapter that KEI leaked yesterday. With the rest of the sections released today, there are some oddities worth calling out. For example, why is the USTR arguing against the public domain? In the section on Internet Service Providers (ISPs), there’s a part that lists out what the “parties recognize” the need for, including “promoting innovation and creativity,” “facilitating the diffusion of information, knowledge, technology, culture and the arts” and “foster competition and open and efficient markets.” Right after that, a few countries suggest “acknowledging the importance of the public domain,” and the US and Japan oppose this suggestion:

Is that really something worth objecting to? And if so, why? Does the USTR not believe in the importance of the public domain? Is Michael Froman and the USTR negotiators really that out of touch with the importance of the public domain? Or is it yet another favor for their future employers in the entertainment industry?