The Internet Association Recommends USPTO Broaden View on Industry Efforts to Reduce Infringement

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Internet Association, the unified voice of the Internet representing the interests of the leading Internet companies including Airbnb, Amazon.com, AOL, eBay, Expedia, Facebook, Gilt, Google, IAC, LinkedIn, Monster Worldwide, Path, Practice Fusion, Rackspace, reddit, Salesforce.com, SurveyMonkey, TripAdvisor, Yahoo!, and Zynga, released the following statement regarding its filing in response to the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) inquiry of industry’s voluntary initiatives to reduce online infringement:

“The Internet Association recommends the USPTO set aside its inquiry of industry’s voluntary initiatives to reduce online infringement for a broader review that looks beyond data and metrics of enforcement mechanisms. By moving forward with its present examination, the USPTO runs the risk of drawing conclusions about our entire copyright system based on only one piece of a complex puzzle.

“Taking a holistic approach will reveal that today’s copyright landscape involves important industry practices, marketplace realities, and consumer behavioral dynamics that all play a role in both the source of and potential solutions to online infringement. For instance, the introduction of legal alternatives to content in certain markets has resulted in dramatic reductions in online infringement. This phenomenon, among others, is largely under-examined.

“We recommend an expansive and balanced investigation to set the stage for a fully informed and meaningful discussion of copyright policy, which will ultimately yield a successful, functioning system.”

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