Things I Didn’t Hear from the Democratic Convention

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The Democratic National Convention is now over, and it’s time to take an account of what was (or wasn’t) said. Despite being regaled by some outstanding speeches by very powerful politicians, there were quite a few things left out of the mix. And let’s be serious – I wasn’t expecting to hear them, but it helps to recount what was left unsaid just for the record.

Here’s a small list:

1. Big media and big entertainment’s stranglehold on IP laws and the resultant killing of innovation
2. Exceedingly high bar to entry for poorer schools to provide access to information services: digital media, web, and software
3. Destruction of the marketplace of ideas via abuse of the patent system
4. Big telecom’s spiking of our privacy rights
5. Economic impairment as a direct result of the nation’s IP laws and regulations
6. Continuing growth of the digital divide, or as I like to say, the “Information Divide”

Each of the above wasn’t addressed for a specific reason, because each of the above has a very specific special interest group behind the status quo. For #1 and #4, the perpetrators are obvious. For #2, look no further than many of the software providors for our schools. And no, I’m not addressing any particular company, for there are many. For #3 and #5, think of all the high tech vendors who have a vested interest in the status quo, and they have learned their way around Washington, DC. For #6, well, we all have a hand in that one. In order to get past the Information Divide, we pretty much have to come to terms with its primary cause: the mauling of the marketplace of ideas at the hands of government.

And lastly, what I’m most disappointed not to hear is one iota of support behind the idea that information rights are now human rights. I explain the details of this more thoroughly in the GeekPAC position paper, but the gist is that data and information are vastly more important than our current laws would indicate. As such, our continued development as an technological powerhouse depends on their overhaul and drastic reform. With our dependence on digital data, digital resources, and digital transactions, it behooves us to recognize their importance and introduce a bit of sanity into our legal structures, such as:

1. protect citizens from an overreaching government
2. create a sustainable system of copyright law that recognizes the importance of the commons
3. overhaul (or remove entirely) our current patent laws, as they apply to software technology
4. a real plan to address the differences in technology access currently defined by socioeconomic status
5. recognition of a wider array of fair use rights – such as the right to access whatever information we legally hold in our possession

And I’m not holding my breath that we’ll hear anything at the Republican Convention either. Now you should understand why I always say that we are people without a party. Those who support these issues must create politically viable groups and influence elections and legislation.

Oh, did I mention that GeekPAC is having a fundraiser RIGHT NOW?

Donate to GeekPAC and fight for your information rights!