Slashdot Mirror
Copyright Industries Oppose Treaty For the Blind
langelgjm sends in a piece from Wired, which details the background of a proposed treaty to allow cross-border sharing of books for the blind — a treaty which is opposed by an almost unified front of business interests in the US, with the exception of Google. "A broad swath of American enterprise ranging from major software makers to motion picture and music companies are joining forces to oppose a new international treaty that would make books more accessible to the blind. With the exception of Google, almost every major industry player has expressed disapproval of the treaty, which would allow cross-border sharing of digitized books accessible to the blind and visually impaired. Google's chief copyright counsel believes the industry-wide opposition is mainly due to 'opposition to a larger agenda of limitations and exceptions... We believe this is an unproductive approach to solving what is a discrete, long-standing problem that affects a group that needs and deserves the protections of the international community.'"
Always looking for a way to screw America!
But if we outlaw books for the blind, then only the blind will have books! Oh, wait.....
Adherence to the truth is a form of disloyalty.
the industry thought "treaty for the blind" meant "treaty readable by the blind"
- which would seriously compromise the concept of illegible small print.
Arrr, I've got me eye-patch already, savvy.