Public Knowledge is excited to be part of the 91 organizations
and 38 influencers signing on to the Declaration of Internet Freedom, which launched today.
As Cory Doctorow succinctly put it, “There is no copyright
policy, only Internet policy; there is no Internet policy, only policy.”
Today’s focus on increased IP enforcement will have a dramatic impact on the
way people interact with the most democratic communications platform that has
ever existed: the internet. Disproportionate IP enforcement will stifle
creativity and create gatekeepers that block the free flow of information
online.
We need only look so far as this January’s SOPA/PIPA protests to see this materialize. The enormous outpouring of opposition—to bills that would have seriously encroached on people’s rights online—served as a
strong signal to policymakers that they can no longer pass draconian copyright
legislation at the behest of industry.
It is a set of principles that have long been at the core of
PK’s mission and we hope will resonate with many:
We believe that a free and open
Internet can bring about a better world. To keep the Internet free and open, we
call on communities, industries and countries to recognize these principles. We
believe that they will help to bring about more creativity, more innovation and
more open societies.We are joining an international
movement to defend our freedoms because we believe that they are worth fighting
for.
Even for those who disagree, this is a starting point for
dialogue—among policy makers, civil society organizations, and all of you. So
sign the petition, send it around to your friends, and share your thoughts on
it.