Adam Haupt: iSummit '08 Keynote Address

"Enclosing the Commons - for Dummies: Creativity, citizenship and media ownership" In his address, Haupt argues that legal threats issued by SAB Miller and Wiley Publishing to culture jammers Laugh It Off Media and Mail & Guardian Online, respectively, provide important perspectives on democracy and commons enclosure. Both the Wiley "for Dummies" and SAB Miller "Black Labour White Guilt" cases offer insights into corporations' tendencies to employ narrow understandings of IP to protect their own interests - often at the expense of the public interest. However, we should be wary of reducing both media incidents to 'David and Goliath' struggles. The story of commons enclosure and limitations on free speech is not always as dramatic. Media ownership offers one example of the ways in which democracy is perverted and the South African media landscape is no exception in this regard.

Full description

Adam Haupt discusses attempts at the closing of the information commons in favour of global capital and how this inhibits not only innovation and creativity, but also basic human rights and essential democratic values. He uses two case studies from South Africa: One involving a legal battle between culture jammers, Laugh It Off and South African Breweries, and the other a ‘media moment’ based on a stand-off between Wiley Publishers of 'for Dummies' fame and liberal newspaper, The Mail and Guardian.

You can also watch this video at the follow sites:

• Bliptv
• Vimeo
• Internet Archive
• Translate it on Dotsub
• Download it from iCommons.org
• And see Adam's presentation slides on Slideshare.