Amsterdam, 16 August 2010. - A broad coalition of Dutch civil society organisations expresses its serious worries about the policymaking process and contents of the anti-imitation agreement ACTA. The negotiations about this international treatment take place for the most of it in secret. The organisations have sent an open letter to call upon the Dutch government to increase the transparency of the negotiations and reduce the scope of the proposed agreement.
Culture
The way we see culture is in line with the Free Culture Manifesto:
"(...)We believe that culture should be a two-way affair, about participation, not merely consumption. We will not be content to sit passively at the end of a one-way media tube. With the Internet and other advances, the technology exists for a new paradigm of creation, one where anyone can be an artist, and anyone can succeed, based not on their industry connections, but on their merit(...)"
Related content:
On June 1st, 2010, Karin Spaink gave an excellent speech during an expert meet on e-books. She is urging the publishing industry to learn from all the mistakes the music industry made. E-books need to be protected against technical measures to control users, such as DRM, and should be much cheaper than printed books.
Read her speech on De Nieuwe Reporter, in Dutch.
Michel Bauwens writes in the P2P blog about the talk A Radical Critique of Free Culture that Geert Lovink presented at re:publica 2010. Many of the participants in the Free Culture Forum that have seen Lovink's talk are surprised, to say the least, about some of his comments on "the Free Culture movement". Bauwens' comments in the P2P blog are a good example of these opinions.
A critical approach to any social movement is necessary and positive for the health of the movement. However, the critique in this case is misleading in several ways, which doesn't help at all to build a constructive debate.
Republication of a Press Release from La Quadrature du Net:
Strasbourg, May 19, 2010 - Today, with the release of Neelie Kroes' Digital Agenda, the European Commission is unveiling major policy orientations regarding Internet-related policies. Several leaked drafts of the document revealed heavy pressures from various special interest groups. While the general outcome of the final document is encouraging, the crucial question of interoperability and open standards was eventually arbitrated in favour of US software vendors' positions. On IPR enforcement and cybercrime, the worst has been avoided but some very ambiguous wording remains.
The Free Knowledge Institute was one of many active participants that gathered from all over the world in Barcelona for the Free Culture Forum. Its first edition was celebrated from October 30th till November 1st 2009. In this article we draw upon the main topics discussed during the Forum and the main output that what was collectively produced: a Charter for Innovation, Creativity and Access to Knowledge. A Free Knowledge version can be found at the Free Knowledge wiki. Find below the ten points for change, or prerequisites for a free knowledge society.
Paris, December 10th 2009 - A worldwide coalition of Non-Governmental Organizations, consumers unions and online service providers associations publish an open letter to the European institutions regarding the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) currently under negotiation. They call on the European Parliament and the EU negotiators to oppose any provision int the multilateral
Over
100 high-profile specialists from 20 countries participated in the Free
Culture Forum in Barcelona (Oct 29 - Nov 1, 2009) convened by EXGAE,
Networked Politics and the Free Knowledge Institute.
The Forum began an unprecedented civil society campaign in defence of fundamental rights in the digital era. These rights include: the right of free expression, the right of access to culture and knowledge and the right to an equitable distribution of copyright benefits. The inviolability of communications, privacy and neutrality of internet access are necessary to defend these rights and to serve as levers for economic, political and social transformation. El Primer Fòrum Internacional de Cultura Lliure tindrà lloc a Barcelona del 29 d'Octubre l'1 de Novembre de 2009. Aquest esdeveniment reunirà les principals organitzacions i les veus més actives en el món de la Cultura Lliure i el Coneixement Lliure per a fixar agendes i estratègies comunes.El Free Knowledge Institute co-organitza el Fòrum de Cultura Lliure i et convida a prendre part d'aquest moment històric i únic.
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El Primer Foro Internacional de Cultura Libre tendrá lugar en Barcelona del 29 de Octubre al 1 de Noviembre de 2009. Este evento reunirá a las principales organizaciones y las voces más activas en el mundo de la Cultura Libre y el Conocimiento Libre para fijar agendas y estrategias comunes.
El Free Knowledge Institute co-organiza el Foro de Cultura Libre y te invita a tomar parte de este momento histórico y único.
The first International Free Culture Forum will take place in Barcelona from October 29 to November 1 2009. This event will bring together the main organisations and most active voices in the world of Free Culture and Free Knowledge to set common agendas and strategies.
The Free Knowledge Institute co-organises the Free Culture Forum and invites you to be part of this unique and historical moment.