Innovation Policy Post

Washington – CCIA presented its high tech defender award to two western Congressmen starting their second term – Jared Polis, D-Colo., and Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah during its 39^thWashington Caucus reception last night.

McLean, Va., -- Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer told 700 northern Virginia high tech workers at a Thursday breakfast “it’s a fun, interesting time to be in the IT business.” He said the goal is no longer a computer on every desk and in every home, but every TV screen and every pocket. 

In another blow to the troubled Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA), the European Parliament’s rapporteur on the trade agreement, David Martin (UK, Socialists and Democrats Group) indicated in a public event on Thursday that he would recommend against the Agreement.

Victoria Espinel, the Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator (IPEC), recently released her annual report on intellectual property enforcement.  This post touches on just one part of the report—the Administration’s renewed endorsement of a need for legislation “to address offshore infringement and counterfeiting,” even after the massive outcry against SOPA, and without acknowledgement of the public’s voiced opposition and its impact.

CCIA applauds the recent agreement we have helped broker between leading content creators, RIAA and MPAA and leading companies in the Internet, technology, and communications sectors in an effort to rewrite copyright law so as to avoid the type of future confrontations we all experienced in the recent battles over PIPA & SOPA.

We especially applaud Content’s willingness to negotiate within a framework agreement which includes the following elements: