Gigi B. Sohn,
president and CEO of Public Knowledge, has accepted an appointment to be a
member of the Advisory Board of the Center for Copyright Information (CCI). The Center was established last year by
content creators and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to implement a new
Copyright Alert System.
Sohn said: “It was not an easy decision for me to
join this Advisory Board. I did so
because I saw the need to be an advocate for the rights of Internet users and
to provide transparency.
“As
I did when the system was announced, I still have concerns about some of the
points in the agreement to establish the CAS. One of the most prominent is the threat that consumers could
have their access to the Internet cut off. I will ask at the appropriate time for the ISPs to promise
not to interpret the agreement’s ‘temporary restriction’ provision as allowing
for suspension of user Internet accounts. This provision is most troubling because an individual
could lose access to the Internet just on the basis of suspicion alone.
“If implemented
reasonably, the Copyright Alert System should alleviate the push for government
intervention and excessive litigation and ultimately be a net positive.
However, for that to be the case, it is imperative that we address this issue
and future concerns raised by the Internet community.
“I
have known Jill Lesser, the CCI’s executive director, for many years and know
her to be a person of great intelligence and integrity. I look forward to working with her.”