This week, Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) told the Washington Post the Supreme Court decision on Aereo will discourage innovation.
But in a recent podcast, IPI president Tom Giovanetti debunks what he calls negative spin regarding the ruling, and says it’s a win for all players in the market because it’s a win for the rule of law. (Click here to listen to the IPI podcast.)
“We think this case was decided properly because we believe in copyright and intellectual property rights. Aereo’s whole business model was designed around free access to someone else’s property.
"A lot of the negative spin on this case has been: ‘Oh no, the sky is falling. The Supreme Court has protected entrenched business interests against new innovators and new disruptive competition.’ As if the word innovation or disruption is a get-out-of-jail-free card. And they’re not.
“The US economy is still the most innovative economy on the planet. But part of why our economy is so innovative is because we have the rule of law and property rights. And you can build a business based on the assumption that your property rights are protectable and that you can count on the rule of law. Other players in the market are going to have to play by the same rules that you do.
“Aereo was trying to not play by the same rules as everyone else. So it’s not an affront to innovation. What it actually does is give innovators and disrupters the assurance that their rights are going to be protected and that we still respect the rule of law in the United States. So this is not a negative decision for innovation. This is actually a positive decision for innovation.”