The first day of LibrePlanet 2016 marks the third anniversary of Register of Copyright's emphatic call for a comprehensive rewrite of the United States Copyright Act -- the first such effort since 1976. Congress has taken up the charge, holding dozens of hearings and floating multiple bills. Meanwhile, trade negotiations and extralegal agreements have changed the state of play. Where does it all stand, and what can activists looking for common sense reform do next? This session will describe recent progress and the lay of the land on copyright terms, the public domain, DRM laws, policy laundering, fair use, and more topics of immediate interest to the free software community. It will describe activism efforts underway to defend the rights of the public as legislation gets proposed. Finally, it will foolishly attempt to predict the future. Will we see a Next Great Copyright Act?
Speakers: Parker Higgins