IP: Law News Network Article

[Dave Farber <farber () cis upenn edu>]

> http://www.lawnewsnetwork.com/stories/A10127-1999Nov22.html
>
> In one of its final acts before leaving town for the
>                   holidays, the Senate Nov. 19 approved an
>                   omnibus appropriations measure that, among
>                   other things, protects trademark holders from
>                   online cyberpiracy, levels the playing field
>                   between cable and satellite service providers, and
>                   revamps the nation's patent system.
>
> The spending bill "will have enormous
>                   implications for all Internet users, whether they're
>                   large or small businesses or individual
>                   entrepreneurs," Dori Kornfeld, a policy analyst for
>                   the Association for Computing Machinery, said
>                   Nov. 22. ACM had labeled the cyberpiracy bill
>                   "unfortunate," saying it would hinder the growth of
>                   e-commerce and personal use of the Internet.
>                   "Hopefully," Kornfeld added, "Internet users will
>                   be able to create their own websites freely and
>                   scare tactics won't be used to chill e-commerce
>                   or free expression on the Web."