On Wednesday night, Stanford IP professor joined a packed audience at a stage in Second Life where he discussed with SL’s founder Philip Linden copyright and democracy issues. Some of his talk looked at how real-life copyright was unworkable in the speed that Second Life existed and that if enforced, IP controls could dampen creativity within virtual worlds.
(Thanks to Hamlet Linden for the invite. And check the dude in the front row with the PSFK limited edition virtual T shirt! Oh, that’s me!)
Make have a full transcript
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Interesting where the emphasis went: on how IP was a problem and on “how real-life copyright was unworkable”. But Lessig himself admitted that making things free doesn’t always work (read the transcripts - he mentioned it at least twice during the talk). And the example he used is only good so long as e-paper technology remains clumsy (which won’t be for long).
He also didn’t get into the full range of problems associated with my question regarding 3D data/content (unfortunately, my attempt to clarify it for him was apparently lost in the message traffic to the host).
And for those who’ve had their virtual goods hacked (Second Life has it’s own permissions system that controls how creators distribute their virtual products) and then sold or given out for free so that it then becomes similar to a virus - spreading everywhere and destroying the market for the original product, there’s another side to what you focus on here: the destruction of incentive which fueled progress in the West. As Professor Lessig said, “And all I argue for is the right of creators to make that choice.” Without IP, there is no choice.
Let’s not confuse his legitimate argument against how the corporations have abused their influence on government(s) to modify laws that worked fine before they corrupted them. One can be both supportive of the concept of intellectual property and firmly against how corporations have been twisting it for their own gain. There *is* a middle ground. Richard Epstein argues eloquently for it. And more and more so does Prof Lessig.
January 22nd, 2006 at 1:38 pm