Intellectual Property Rights Archives · Consumer Federation of America https://consumerfed.org/issues/competition-and-regulation/intellectual-property-rights/ Advancing the consumer interest through research, advocacy, and education Mon, 01 May 2017 20:32:57 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 https://consumerfed.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/cropped-Capture-32x32.jpg Intellectual Property Rights Archives · Consumer Federation of America https://consumerfed.org/issues/competition-and-regulation/intellectual-property-rights/ 32 32 CFA Calls on FTC to Require Electronic Marketplaces to Label Products Locked with Digital Protection https://consumerfed.org/testimonial/cfa-calls-ftc-require-electronic-marketplaces-label-products-locked-digital-protection/ Fri, 05 Aug 2016 14:50:05 +0000 http://consumerfed.org/?post_type=testimonial&p=11028 CFA has joined a group of publishers, authors, consumer rights advocates and technologists to call on the Federal Trade Commission to require electronic marketplaces that sell digital products to accurately label products they sell, particularly in regards to whether those products are locked with some kind of digital protection measure, sometimes called DRM. The confusing, inconsistent … Continued

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]]> CFA has joined a group of publishers, authors, consumer rights advocates and technologists to call on the Federal Trade Commission to require electronic marketplaces that sell digital products to accurately label products they sell, particularly in regards to whether those products are locked with some kind of digital protection measure, sometimes called DRM. The confusing, inconsistent labeling practices in digital content marketplaces, such as Amazon’s Kindle, Unboxed, and Audible stores; Apple’s iTunes and iBooks stores; Google Play; the Kobo and B&N ebook store and many others create a confusing spectrum of restrictions that consumers sometimes struggle to understand. Far more urgent, though, is the absence of any consistent signal to shoppers informing them about whether a given product is DRM-free or DRM-encumbered.

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]]> CFA Letter to the Senate Committee on Judiciary on Intellectual Property Rights https://consumerfed.org/testimonial/cfa-letter-to-the-senate-committee-on-judiciary-on-intellectual-property-rights/ Wed, 26 Mar 2014 18:47:27 +0000 http://consumerfed.org/?post_type=testimonial&p=4954 CFA believes that the framework of Intellectual property rights established in Article 8 of the U.S. Constitution is one of the pillars on which the economic success of the United States rests. Article I, Section 8 empowers the Congress to enact legislation with the primary purpose of striking a balance between providing the incentive to … Continued

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]]> CFA believes that the framework of Intellectual property rights established in Article 8 of the U.S. Constitution is one of the pillars on which the economic success of the United States rests. Article I, Section 8 empowers the Congress to enact legislation with the primary purpose of striking a balance between providing the incentive to invent and innovate and promoting the public interest in the free flow of ideas. Over the course of the past two centuries, Congress has recognized when changes in the economy or developments in the implementation of the Intellectual property rights regime requires modifications in the statute. CFA believes that this is such a moment. Congress must act swiftly and aggressively to reign in and eliminate the pernicious, abuse of intellectual property rights by patent trolls and those who seek overbroad patents.

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]]> Coalition Letter to Ban Tax Strategy Patents https://consumerfed.org/testimonial/coalition-letter-to-ban-tax-strategy-patents/ Tue, 28 Sep 2010 17:19:13 +0000 http://consumerfed.org/?post_type=testimonial&p=5649 CFA and other national organizations representing consumer, taxpayer, charitable, financial planning, and tax advisor groups, urge Congressional leaders to enact legislation to ban tax strategy patents in these final days of the 111th Congress. The ongoing, serious concerns associated with these types of patents pose a significant threat to American families and businesses, and we believe … Continued

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]]> CFA and other national organizations representing consumer, taxpayer, charitable, financial planning, and tax advisor groups, urge Congressional leaders to enact legislation to ban tax strategy patents in these final days of the 111th Congress. The ongoing, serious concerns associated with these types of patents pose a significant threat to American families and businesses, and we believe that quick legislative action to prohibit them is essential. We cannot afford to postpone addressing this problem until the 112th Congress.

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]]> CFA and Over 100 Organizations Sign on to Letter Regarding Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement Negotiations https://consumerfed.org/testimonial/cfa-and-over-100-organizations-sign-on-to-letter-regarding-anti-counterfeiting-trade-agreement-negotiations/ Mon, 15 Sep 2008 17:22:06 +0000 http://consumerfed.org/?post_type=testimonial&p=5651 CFA joins over 100 organizations to urge the negotiators of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) to immediately publish the draft text of the agreement, as well as pre-draft discussion papers (especially for portions for which no draft text yet exists), before continuing further discussions over the treaty. We ask also that they publish the agenda for negotiating … Continued

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]]> CFA joins over 100 organizations to urge the negotiators of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) to immediately publish the draft text of the agreement, as well as pre-draft discussion papers (especially for portions for which no draft text yet exists), before continuing further discussions over the treaty. We ask also that they publish the agenda for negotiating sessions and treaty related meetings in advance of such meetings, and publish a list of participants in the negotiations.

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]]> I Eat My Peas With Honey: Are U.S. Patents Granted with Property Rights or the Public Interest in Mind? https://consumerfed.org/testimonial/i-eat-my-peas-with-honey-are-u-s-patents-granted-with-property-rights-or-the-public-interest-in-mind/ Tue, 19 Apr 2005 17:24:49 +0000 http://consumerfed.org/?post_type=testimonial&p=5652 Mark Silbergeld highlights examples of frivolous and unwise patent granting for the Transatlantic Consumer Dialogue Conference: Patents for Poets and Policy Wonks. Download PDF

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]]> Mark Silbergeld highlights examples of frivolous and unwise patent granting for the Transatlantic Consumer Dialogue Conference: Patents for Poets and Policy Wonks.

Download PDF

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