The Fellowship / Fellows / gerloff / blog / Run-up to Yale A2K conference

Run-up to Yale A2K conference

Today I arrived in New Haven, CT, USA, where I will be attending the Yale Access to Knowledge conference. The schedule promises very interesting panels and discussions.

I am excited about the opportunity to personally meet some of the most forward-thinking people in copyright and patent reform. On Sunday, I will be moderating a panel on "Licensing Frameworks for A2K".

Besides that, I will of course be blogging the conference.

The conference will start tomorrow (Friday) afternoon, presumably amid some degree of confusion: Tomorrow, Hu Jintao, the president of the People's Republic of China, will be visiting Yale. That means security hassles of all sorts, as well as demonstrations.

Speaking of security hassles: As I passed through US immigration checks today, having answered the same nonsensical questions over and over again ("What is the purpose of your visit?"), I was of course fingerprinted.

While being submitted to this treatment normally reserved for criminal suspects, I could not help but hum the last lines of the US national anthem:

'Tis the star-spangled banner! O long may it wave 
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.



 

Verbatim copying and distribution of this entire article are permitted worldwide, without royalty, in any medium, provided this notice is preserved.

Commenti

Fingerprinting - it's OK if my guys do it

I want to visit the USA in the near future, but I also feel a deep discomfort with the idea of an alien government (the USA) taking my fingerprints. I'm unhappy with anyone having access to my personal data without due cause, especially unique and identifying data.

On the other hand, I would not mind if my own government had my fingerprint information. I feel comfortable with biometric identification cards as well, as long as it's for my own government, or my big block (EU).

I guess you could say I have a lack of trust. The US government has little accountability to me. Therefore, I do not want them to hold my important personal data. My own government has accountability to me, and therefore I am more comfortable with data sharing.

Log in or join the Fellowship to post comments.


Trackbacks


Right menu

Fellow Events

<< Ottobre 2008 >>
Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
  1 2 3 4 5
6 7 8 9 10 11 12
13 14 15 16 17 18 19
20 21 22 23 24 25 26
27 28 29 30 31 
Selected Day Today


FSFE Card


DRM.info
© FSFE