Friday, June 26, 2015

Information Doesn't Want to be Free

Information Doesn't Want to be Free
by Cory Doctorow
McSweeney's, 2014. 162 pp. Non-fiction

In this book, Cory Doctorow builds on his already considerable reputation as a leading writer on technology issues in general and intellectual property matters in particular. He concisely lays out his critique of current copyright laws and related tools (such as DRM), their flaws and tendencies to result in the exploitation both producers and consumers of creative works. He presents his arguments in three laws followed by short thought pieces explaining each. For such a short work, Doctorow does a marvelous job of distilling complex issues and elucidating them clearly without a fog of technical verbiage. In laying out his arguments for a new copyright framework that is both fair and appropriate to the realities of the internet, he writes will real passion for the topic while avoiding diatribes and vitriol. This is a very thought provoking book, challenging the reader to grapple with an issue that is becoming, given the ubiquity of social media and digital content, increasingly relevant.

CHW

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