Click the Vote

For the last 16 months we have been writing and writhing about the dangers of the copyright industry infringing upon personal freedom, consumer rights and the efficacy of the Internet, the diminution of the public domain, heavy-handed use of the judicial system, increased corporate control over both hardware and software – all in the name of security and defending the rights of copyright holders.

There is a new organization called “Click the Vote!” coming into being this week that I can get behind without reservation:

Legalize music sharing that rewards creators
CTV strives for culture and communications policies that establish reasonable mechanisms for creator compensation and protects innocent citizens and their privacy from criminal prosecution and civil suit harassment.

Defend open computing and open standards
CTV strives for open communications systems at every level and opposes closed computing and other hardware and software restrictions or government mandates which limit consumer choices and stifle democratic values.

Democratize the electromagnetic commons
CTV strives for new 21st century electromagnetic spectrum public licensing that acknowledges emergent and non-interfering technologies.

John Borland writes on CNET:

the group hopes to make digital copyright and computing matters an issue in the 2004 election campaigns.

While not yet backing specific policies, the group’s early statements include support for legalizing music sharing along with a mechanism for paying artists, and support of “open computing” as opposed to the “trusted computing” initiatives supported by Microsoft and others. These technology issues should be viewed as policy issues in a modern, digital world, the group says.

“Openness and free speech is what has made this democracy thrive,” said organizer John Parres, a onetime advisor to Hollywood power broker Michael Ovitz and co-founder of the influential Pho digital music e-mail discussion group. “We’re concerned that things are going in the wrong direction, that we’re heading towards closed computing, encrypting speech, and those things are not conducive to a thriving democracy.”

….Click The Vote is starting without corporate backers and will rely largely on donations for funding, Parres said. But the group is looking to focus on exerting influence through galvanizing voters rather than through political contributions.

“I think there is a pool of energy out there that we’re going to harden and focus and bring to bear on these issues,” Parres said. “What needs to happen to push this thing forward is for people to start communicating in a coherent voice with their legislators.”

I encourage you to check out the site and the organization seriously and consider joining and participating.