Lawrence Lessig on the possibility of “i-9/11″
Some chilling thoughts from Lessig on one way the copyright wars might end. Pirates, and to a greater extent, ad-hoc networks of all kinds, are a necessary part of the free market system – they (try to) keep governments and corporations honest. If something like Lessig describes ever happens, the idea of the pirate as freedom-fighter will be widely embraced. An i-9/11 would be devastating for the short term future of not just the internet, but liberty and democracy. On the other hand, this is the battlefield where citizens should want to have this fight, because this is the battlefield where we can win.
August 5th, 2009 at 8:46 pm
Isn’t ACTA the internet equivalent of the Patriot Act and isn’t it already being draughted in secret talks between the US and other countries?
August 5th, 2009 at 9:53 pm
Good point. Although what Lessig is discussing here sounds like it could be a lot worse than ACTA.