Billed as “first-of-its-kind” discussion on piracy with VP Joe Biden, former member of the Congressional International Anti-Piracy Caucus, leading the charge.
It’s shaping up to be another day of politics as usual with news that Vice President Joe Biden will be convening a piracy summit at the White House today with Hollywood CEOs, music industry execs, and legal experts for what’s being called a “first of its kind” meeting that “will bring together all the stakeholders to discuss ways to combat piracy in this rapidly changing technological age.”
Conspicuously absent from the discussions are stakeholders from the public and technology-related business concerns.
VP Biden is a former member of the Congressional International Anti-Piracy Caucus, the same group which singled out Spain for allowing noncommercial P2P, so is likely to wield a heavy hammer when it comes to creating a “solution” at the summit.
He’ll be joined by Attorney General Eric Holder, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, FBI director Robert Mueller, and the new Anti-Piracy Czar Victoria Espinel.
From the entertainment industry side there is expected to be Sony’s Michael Lynton, the same guy who said last May that he’s a “guy who doesn’t see anything good having come from the Internet” and more recently that CAMs are ruing the movie biz, Warner Bros.’ Barry Meyer, Viacom’s Philippe Dauman, NBC Universal’s Jeffrey Zucker, Warner Music Group’s Edgar Bronfman, Harper Collins CEO Brian Murray, Universal Music Group’s Zachary Horowitz, MPAA’s Dan Glickman, and the RIAA’s Mitch Bainwol.
“This unprecedented gathering of senior officials is a further reflection of this Administration’s recognition of the importance of copyright protections to generating and preserving American jobs,” says Bainwol in a press release. “We’re grateful for the Administration’s efforts and commitment. We look forward to continuing this constructive dialogue and working together to advance legitimate commerce and ensure the creative industries remain one of America’s most valuable cultural and economic exports.”
I’ll wonder if the MPAA will mention its profits are up a staggering 9% since last year when it presses its case for urgent action to protect Hollywood jobs.
Probably not.
Stay tuned.
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Fascism at its finest. Welcome to the corporate police state.