[Free-sklyarov-uk] Alliance with the FIPR

[Julian T. J. Midgley]

Yesterday I contacted Caspar Bowden (the chap who was consulted on
Newsnight to explain to Jamie what precisely the DMCA was, and the
Director of the Foundation for Intellectual Property Research (FIPR) -
http://www.fipr.org/) with a view to seeing whether we could work
effectively together, and to ask his advice on where we might concentrate
our activities to best effect.

We had a very productive conversation- it turns out that the FIPR had a
meeting two weeks ago at which they decided to write a paper on Copyright
law, and intend to research this issue as thoroughly as they did RIP
recently.  As a result of their RIP investigations and lobbying* every
broadsheet in the country published a leader article (at different times)
calling for RIP to be revised/struck down.  Even more importantly, Caspar
believes that the research they did, and legal arguments they prepared,
will be sufficient to enable any case brought under the encryption
legislation in RIP to be thrown out of court (or at the very least, found
in favour of the defendant).  It's clearly to everyone's advantage to have
the same degree of scrutiny directed at copyright legislation.

The FIPR has a close association with some very highly qualified
Intellectual Property Lawyers (at least one of whom is a Trustee for the
FIPR), a list of contacts which includes just about every significant
media organisation (newspaper, television and radio) in the UK, and firm
support from elements of industry and academia.

* Importantly, although it is occasionally misrepresented as such, the
FIPR is not a campaigning organisation- they don't organise protests,
leafletting campaigns, etc.  As its name suggests, it directs its efforts
primarily toward research and engages in limited lobbying through contacts
in the media, industry, academia and politics.

We therefore complement it quite nicely.  The FIPR should be able to
provide advice, the legal interpretation (and refutation) of the
legislation under consideration, plenty of contacts, and some additional
respectability whilst we conduct a campaign of protests, leafletting and
lobbying.

It looks increasingly like we are going to have be in this for the long
haul (firstly to Free Sklyarov, and even more so in a fight against the
European Copyright Directive).  When raising an army for a long war, it's
nice to have the support of a friendly arms dealer specialising in
high-tech weaponry.[0]

As this stage, Caspar and I have basically agreed to keep the two groups
informed of each other's activities, and for the two organisations to
provide each other with mutual support as best we can.  (From simple
things such as issuing joint press-releases (through FIPR's long list of
contacts) when we organise a protest, to assisting in fund raising for
the FIPR.)

The FIPR is effectively a charity (it's entirely dependent on donations),
and is applying for true charitable status at present.  It's about to hold
a "Millionaire's BBQ" in Cambridge, to which it will invite those who
might have a bit of cash to spare and a vested interest in sensible IP
legislation (eg. CEO's of startups and the like).  If anyone knows any
well heeled folks who might like an invitation, could you let me know, and
I'll pass their details on to Caspar.

The FIPR is also looking for volunteers for a variety of tasks - I'm going
to post details here shortly.

Here's to a fruitful relationship!

Julian Midgley

[0] This is purely an analogy - in no way am I intending to incite anyone
to the tiniest iota of violence or deviation from our policy of peaceful
protests. :-)


-- 
Julian T. J. Midgley                    http://www.xenoclast.org
Cambridge, England.                       PGP Key ID: 0xBCC7863F
UK Free Dmitry Protest:              http://uk.freesklyarov.org/