The Loss of Public Space

Howard Besser at UCLA has a useful article on the loss of public space due to the copyright extension act. Includes extensive concrete examples. Here's the abstract:

Just as large-scale economic forces are causing gentrification of our cities and the elimination of public spaces that allow culture and politics to flourish, powerful economic interests have also launched a full-scale attack on our public information spaces, many of which exist on the Internet. This article uses the disappearance of public spaces in our cities as a metaphor for the disappearance of public spaces in cyberspace. It focuses on the Content Industry's use of copyright law to assault the public domain and their attempt to turn all information into commodities. And it discusses the horrific implications of all of this on free speech, artistic endeavors, and our entire way of life.

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