What a week! I've been helping to launch IPac, a new political action committee that works on IP policy and technical innovation. We're supporting six candidates in the current election, including a Senate candidate (Brad Carson) who says he's in the "Lessig School" when it comes to IP. You can check them out and donate here. We started this IPac because despite all of the wonderful, important work of groups like EFF, Public Knowledge, et. al, there wasn't a way to funnel the energy they create into the electoral process. We'll be working to elect and retain tech-savvy, public interest-minded candidates.

Here's a snippet from our short statement of principles (with accompanying background):

3. Intellectual property laws should be clear and explicit, so anybody can create without fear of lawsuits.

Today's IP law is a thicket of jargon that makes lawyers necessary for almost any creative act. Sampling music in a new song, combining movie clips for a film class, or even removing objectionable content from your lawfully purchased DVDs can draw the ire of rights-holders. Companies routinely use patents against small inventors and businesses that can't fight back. And since fighting even frivolous claims is terribly expensive, creators and innovators may self-censor rather than attract a lawsuit.

This kind of predatory intellectual property is bad for society. It chills artistic and political expression. It stops technical innovation that could benefit society. And it directly contradicts the purpose of intellectual property by ensuring that less work, not more, is produced by our creators. IPac supports policies that will clarify and expand the public's rights in intellectual property so that creators and innovators can thrive.

Disclaimer: My work on IPac is totally separate from the Electronic Frontier Foundation.
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