Economic growth begins with ideas, innovation and creativity. Since the signing of the Constitution, the U.S. has protected the fruits of creativity and innovation through intellectual property protection, primarily expressed as patents, trademarks, copyright and trade secrets.
As our economy has become even more dependent on innovation, intellectual property issues have been pushed to the forefront. The clashes have led some to question the value and even the legitimacy of IP protection. While some of these attacks come from the libertarian perspective, most originate from the same naïve socialist impulses that so demonstrably failed in the realm of real property—but somehow are seen as thoughtful with respect to IP.
IPI believes that creators have the right to own and control the fruits of their creativity, and that the IP system has done an admirable job of not only incentivizing innovation, but also making creative products and services available to the public and transferring technology to the developing world.
The shadowy world of online piracy
Electronic piracy is a shadowy world of grey areas, clashing ideologies and desperate attempts by the establishment to keep up with rapidly changing habits and even more rapidly changing technology. One recent study by the Institute for Policy Innovation estimated that music piracy costs the US economy 12.5 billion dollars per year, and results in the loss of more than 70,000 jobs and 2 billion dollars in wages.
Assistant USTR Optimistic About Strong, Balanced Intellectual Property Provisions in TPP
Assistant U.S. Trade Representative-Intellectual Property and Innovation Stan McCoy is optimistic that negotiators of the Trans-Pacific Partnership can come to a "world-class result" for "strong and balanced" intellectual property protection, despite ongoing debate over the rigidity of those protections, he said at an IPI forum commemorating World Intellectual Property Day.
Studios Struggle for Focus on Film Pirates' Booty
As options for watching movies ave expanded and become more sophisticated, so have attempts to pirate the content, leaving studios seeking new ways to discern the impact on their bottom lines.
New Efforts to Put a Price Tag on Film Piracy
From their publication in 2006 through the debate over the Stop Online Piracy Act that ended early last year, the film industry frequently has cited the findings of a study by IPI that found film piracy was costing the U.S. economy $20.5 billion annually.
From Throwing Pies to Eating Crow
Mark Lynas, leader of the movement against genetically modified crops, has embraced the technology and apologized for his misguided efforts.
Pirating or advancing; Debating illegal music downloads
But what is really holding the music industry back isn’t the greed of the structure. It’s the greed of the people who believe they have the right to all the music they want without paying for it. For the love of music, buy the album and appreciate it for what it is worth.
Arrest busts large RR music piracy operation
A monthlong investigation by Rio Rancho police working with investigators from the Recording Industry Association of America culminated in the arrest and seizures of thousands of pirated CDs. One study by the Institute for Policy Innovation showed that music theft translates into more than 70,000 lost music community jobs and more than $2 billion in lost wages to American workers.
Police discover RR resident with 20,000 bootleg CDs
A Rio Rancho man faces charges of music piracy after investigators found more than 20,000 bootleg CDs in his possession. A study by the Institute for Policy Innovation indicated that music theft means more than 70,000 jobs lost in the music community and more than $2 billion in lost wages to American workers.
Coalition Letter Regarding Internet Radio Fairness Act of 2012
Believers in free markets seek to reduce, rather than increase, the government’s role in markets and price-setting whenever possible. Accordingly, we respectfully write to express our grave concerns about H.R. 6480, the misnamed “Internet Radio Fairness Act of 2012.”