'Webcaster's Right' in WIPO Treaty

An anonymous reader writes "Andy Oram examines the new concept of a 'webcaster's right' that major Web portals are trying to introduce through a World Intellectual Property Organization treaty. The treaty would allow Web sites to control the dissemination of content they put up. Using the failed database protection laws as an example, and in the context of the carrier's desire to create a tiered Internet, Andy analyzes this new threat to the public domain."

Comments

Think of the bright side.

[zotz]

This could kill off the big portals who try to pull this stunt.

This could give a big advantage to a big portal who pulls this stunt but only asserts a copyleft instead of an all rights reserved.

This could give an even bigger advantage to those portals that don't try to pull this stunt at all.

Besides all of this, where is this hugh supply of public domain sound and video content that would make such a play worthwhile?

all the best,

drew
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http://www.ourmedia.org/node/111123
"Tings" - try this "copyleft" type novel on for size
Warning! Danger! - first draft and temporal black hole.