Patent That Becomes a Tool for Obstructing Innovation Needs to Go

Software patents have become an unnecessary obstruction to innovation. Company that used to oppose software patent are spending billions to acquire them (including Google). Small time developers (which could include open source and Smart-phones/Tablets Apps developer) are now being targeted. Software patent produces opposite effect of what patents are designed to do – i.e. promote innovation.It should therefore be abolished as soon as possible.

This Guardian article describe it well.

Patents are now a multibillion-dollar industry in which companies find it more attractive to make money suing each other for infringement than actually making things…..

Patents were supposed to protect innovation. Now they risk throttling it. ….software patents have provided no net benefit to the software industry, let alone to society as a whole…..

Tragically, because so many corporations which formerly opposed software patents have now joined the system, an effective solution will be harder to find. Once again consumers are pitted against the corporations. Where are the regulators when they are needed?

U.S. Wants To Make “Illegal” Streaming a Felony, Open to Wiretapping

The U.S. Senate responded to White House request for a law that would explicitly make “Illegal” Streaming of video or audio a felony.

Streaming content has been considered a “public performance” rather than “distribution.” … The (White House) report called on Congress “to ensure that [the Department of Justice] and U.S. law enforcement agencies are able to effectively combat infringement involving new technology” by clarifying that streaming unauthorized audio or video is a felony. (rawstory.com)

Cnet reported about the White House proposal back in March 15. They have also pointed out that Obama appointed a copyright industry lawyer to the Justice Department post, and claim that Biden is a staunch supporter of major copyright holders.

No less than 78 percent of political contributions from Hollywood went to Democrats in 2008, which is broadly consistent with the trend for the last two decades, according to OpenSecrets.org.(Cnet)