IPAC, a group “dedicated to preserving individual freedom through balanced intellectual property policy,” has launched an initiative to buy a video iPod for every U.S. senator who works on legislation affecting technology. The iPods will come pre-loaded with public domain and Creative Commons-licensed material to help enlighten the senators to a more mainstream consumer viewpoint.
“Last week, the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation held a hearing on the ‘Broadcast Flag’ and ‘Audio Flag,’ a set of proposals by the MPAA and RIAA that would stifle innovation by giving content holders a virtual veto over new technologies and existing user rights,” IPAC states on its website.
“But Senator Stevens, the 82-year old committee chairman from Alaska, surprised the audience by announcing that his daughter had bought him an iPod, and suddenly Stevens had a much greater understanding of the many ways innovative technology can create choice for consumers. Content industry representatives at the hearing found themselves answering much tougher questions than they typically receive.”
