Comments on: Pro-copyright lobbyists storm Capitol Hill

RIAA, MPAA and others congregate for an "expo" to spread the word about safeguarding intellectual property, attracting a few celebrities in their midst.

[nicmart]

Conyers

The transformation of John Conyers: from Marxist flack to industry
flack. From "fight the power," to "keep in power with campaign
contributions."

[Bud5000]

The T-Shirt Rocks

As a musician who uses the RIAA Soup Kitchen on Bleecker and 7th Avenue, I appreciate their concern, as evidenced by the T-Shirt displayed in the article. It's a shame I won't see Madonna, Radiohead, or Trent Reznor at the soup kitchen anymore. You mean, there are other ways to feed musicians?

[The Kim]

Lifetimes of protection

I fully accept that the authors should be awarded, but I do not understand why copyright should be used to protect an industry.

The 70 years of copyright protection after the death of the author of a really original work of art may seem fair, if the author was some bleeding heart poet, not earning any money during his own lifetime- Then, at least his neglected wife and children might profit.

However, this is not what copyright is used for nowadays. No, it's used to protect a billion dollar industry, whitch itself believes to have a special right to protect itself against competitors and even their own potential customers, because what they do is "art".

All other industry also fight fiercely but they do not have copyright.

All other industry do not fight their own potential customers - they fight their competitors.

[JadedGamer]

I am pro copyright

... meaning a limited (10-20 years) monopoly after the creation of a work, before it enters the public domain.

I am anti the industry-serving mutant beast the lobbyists like RIAA and MPAA have created.