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Today, Public Knowledge joins Re:Create, a new coalition dedicated to promoting balanced copyright laws in the United States. As a partnership between public interest groups and trade associations, Re:Create will work to ensure that copyright laws are clear, simple and transparent while still fostering innovation, creativity, education and economic growth. Public Knowledge will work with Re:Create to engage and inform lawmakers about the needs to support fair use and safe harbors, curb excessive statutory damages and combat abusive copyright enforcement practices.

The following may be attributed to Public Knowledge President Gene Kimmelman:

“We are pleased to join a diverse group of nonprofits and companies that share a vision of how our copyright laws must fully meet their constitutional purpose — to ‘promote the progress of science and useful arts.’ A balanced copyright system not only benefits authors and other artists, it allows for the free flow of information and ideas. An improperly balanced system allows the law to be abused in a way that stifles free expression and suppresses competition in the marketplace.”

The following may be attributed to Sherwin Siy, VP of Legal Affairs at Public Knowledge:

“Copyright issues affect all of us. We are all users of copyrighted works whether we are conscious of it or not — just by using digital technology, we are making copies. We are also all creators of copyrighted works of one form or another. Simply by setting some original expression down — on paper or on the Internet — you become a copyright owner. So all of us are directly affected by laws and policies that affect the creators and the users of copyrighted works.

“We and the other members of the Re:Create coalition want to make sure that our laws account for these realities of today’s connected environment, and help bring a pre-VCR regime into a post-Meerkat world.”

You may view the coalition website here.

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