[Wikimedia-l] SOPA protest may have had effect

[David Gerard]

Techdirt is a rather *hopeful* source, but ...

http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120703/12112119569/ustrs-surprise-turnaround-now-advocating-limitations-exceptions-to-copyright.shtml

"Given the USTR's general lack of transparency and intellectually
insulting attitude towards anyone who questions TPP and ACTA
transparency, I don't trust the USTR on its commitment to this... but
I have been hearing from multiple sources that the protests against
SOPA and ACTA have had a big impact on the administration's thinking
on intellectual property issues... and that the MPAA/RIAA folks are
not at all happy about the latest version of the USTR's IP chapter.
There have also been multiple assurances that the USTR will fight
strongly to make sure that this language on exceptions remains in the
agreement, even if some of its "advisers" from the legacy content
industry don't like it. That suggests that maybe, just maybe, some
voices of reason have gotten through to the USTR."

Well done, all. The SOPA protest would have gone nowhere without Wikipedia.


- d.