Simon Phipps sez, "As an adjunct to creation of its report 'Media Piracy In Emerging Economies', the Social Science Research Council has devised a license that tries to show people in rich economies what it is that makes people in emerging economies use torrents rather than pay the author. Thir paywall and outrageous commercial pricing only apply if your IP address is in a rich country. They say: 'The resulting consumer dilemma is a ubiquitous experience in medium and low-income countries but one that confronts the American or European reader (or the media company employee conjured up by the commercial reader license) much less frequently and with much less intensity.'"
Not unexpectedly, our Consumer's Dilemma license for the report has generated some controversy. To recap, the CD license creates different paths to acquiring the report: first, we have an IP address geolocator that sends visitors from high income countries toward an $8 paywall when they download the report; all other resolvable IP addresses get free access. Second, and separately available, a 'commercial reader' license that costs $2000. There's also a $28 book, but I will assume that's not at issue here.
The Consumer's Dilemma
(Thanks, Simon!)
Two days ago, the Senate voted to overrule Trump FCC Chairman Ajit Pai and restore Net Neutrality; it was an incredible victory, but unless the same motion passes in the House, it's a symbolic one.
There's only hours remaining before Congress will vote to renew the Section 702 powers that let the NSA conduct mass surveillance; powers that expand in 12 days.
This amazingly handy website pretty much holds your digital hand through the process of calling your representatives. Take five minutes, call your reps. 5 Calls
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