Does advocating the use of open source software make one an enemy of capitalism? Yes, according to a U.S. intellectual property lobby group.
The Guardian reports that the International Intellectual Property Alliance, a lobby group broadly representing the RIAA, MPAA and others, has requested that the U.S. government put countries including Indonesia, Brazil, and India on the “Special 301 watchlist.” Special 301 is a report that concerns the “adequacy and effectiveness of intellectual property rights” around the globe. Being put on the associated watchlist effectively puts those countries on a shortlist of governments considered “enemies of capitalism” who aren’t doing enough to protect intellectual property abroad.
The reason the IIPA is so concerned about the aforementioned countries? They apparently have the audacity to either use or advocate the use of open source software either in government departments or in state-owned businesses. The lobby group has asked the U.S. Trade Representative to accord countries like Indonesia Special 301 status because they feel that encouraging the use of open source threatens the software industry and devalues intellectual property rights. The IIPA’s recommendation to the USTR includes the following text:
“The Indonesian government’s policy… simply weakens the software industry and undermines its long-term competitiveness by creating an artificial preference for companies offering open source software and related services, even as it denies many legitimate companies access to the government market.
Rather than fostering a system that will allow users to benefit from the best solution available in the market, irrespective of the development model, it encourages a mindset that does not give due consideration to the value to intellectual creations.
As such, it fails to build respect for intellectual property rights and also limits the ability of government or public-sector customers (e.g., State-owned enterprise) to choose the best solutions.”
Countries apparently don’t even have to officially legislate the use of open source software; Indonesia has drawn the ire of the IIPA for merely recommending open source software in a circular to government departments.
We’re somewhat astonished at the implications of this. What do you think: does open source software somehow inherently threaten intellectual property? Should countries who make use of it in government departments be sanctioned for weakening the software industry?
[img credit: David Erickson]
[via Computer World UK]
Tags: Brazil, india, Indonesia, intellectual property, mpaa, open source, piracy, Political, riaa, software, special 301, trade
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