Copyright Theft – Should the internet be monitored and the force of the law applied?

[Boggle]

When we introduce a requirement that all cars be fitted with a speed limiter to block and speeds over 120km/h then we can then consider this internet monitoring. Cars came first.

Actually, to match like with like you'd have to monitor the position of the car and record anything which happens within that car.

It's invasive spying that you will need to block copyright theft and if people are willing to accept that so that some record company somewhere can maintain a strong market presence then more fool you.

[ivnryn]

While you can argue that society as a whole would be better off if patents didn't exist,

Do you accept this argument?

the innovation and investment in research may never take take place at all without the incentive of the patent.

It really depends on the sector. In high tech sectors, 1 year old products are much less valuable. This means that the stealing someone else's ideas gets you near obsolete products. Being first to market is the reward for innovation.

The fundamental question do patents on net encourage innovation. They seem to create an advantage for larger businesses over smaller ones.

Good property rights have clearly defined boundaries. In land, everything inside your wall belongs to you.

They also combine the right to allow and the right to block. You can let people use your land, but you can also stop people from using your land.

With a commons, everyone has the right to allow, but nobody has the right to block. This means that the commons is overused and so it is degraded.

Overlapping patents are an anti-commons. When patents overlap, you need permission from all patent holders. Nobody has the right to allow (doing almost anything will break someone's patent), but lots of people have the right to block. An anti-commons has the opposite problem to a commons. The resource is under-used. We all lose because people are blocked from innovating.

Patents are simply not well suited to be property rights. If there was a system that makes overlapping much less likely and where the boundaries were clearly defined (i.e. you don't need to consult a patent solicitor), then they might work as advertised.

Also, innovation without property rights, isn't a commons. Innovations add on top of each other. The more ideas there are floating around, the more ways they can be put together.

[cytex]

Actually, to match like with like you'd have to monitor the position of the car and record anything which happens within that car.

It's invasive spying that you will need to block copyright theft and if people are willing to accept that so that some record company somewhere can maintain a strong market presence then more fool you.

I agree but the kicker is with todays tech it is impossible to police the internet right or wrong that is the reality .they will need to tap every single computer comming into the country china cant even go this far and the government will is there in that country

[Boggle]

I agree but the kicker is with todays tech it is impossible to police the internet right or wrong that is the reality .they will need to tap every single computer comming into the country china cant even go this far and the government will is there in that country

I agree. I just wouldn't take it for granted that this won't happen.

In America, the land of the right to free speech, they are already reported to be closing websites who just discuss the pro's of downloading.

[cytex]

I agree. I just wouldn't take it for granted that this won't happen.

In America, the land of the right to free speech, they are already reported to be closing websites who just discuss the pro's of downloading.

Yep and they are loosing bussiness on these sites to india and holland at the moment . Americas loss they are just losing bussiness