[Ecommerce] Lecturer censored in Spanish University for defending P2P networks
Manon Ress
manon.ress@cptech.org
Sat May 21 20:53:13 2005
http://homepage.mac.com/jorgecortell/blogwavestudio/LH20041209105106/LHA20050520091532/index.html
Lecturer censored in Spanish University (UPV) for defending P2P networks
Date Created: 20 May, 2005, 09:15 AM
[Upon the request of various foreign media that would like to cover this
story, and would like a link to the source in English, here is a recap
of my ordeal]
This what happened to me when trying to defend the legal use of P2P
networks in Spain.
I have been teaching "Intellectual Property" (although I dislike the
term) among other subjects at a Masters Degree in the Polytechnic
University of Valencia UPV (Spain) for over 5 years. Two weeks ago I was
scheduled (invited by the ETSIA Student Union and Linux Users' Group for
the celebration of "Culture Week") to give a conference in one of the
university's buildings. During that conference I was to analyze the
legal use and benefits of the P2P networks, even when dealing with
copyrighted works (according to the Spanish Intellectual Property Law,
Private Copy provision, and many research papers, books and court
rulings). I was even going to use the network to "prove" that it was
legal, since members of the Collecting Society "SGAE" had appeared on TV
and newspapers saying that "P2P networks are ilegal" (sic) just like
that, and to that extent I even contacted SGAE, National Police, and the
Attorney General in advance to inform them about it.
The day before the conference, the Dean (pressured by the Spanish
Recording Industry Association "Promusicae" as I found out later, and he
recognized himself in a quote to the national newspaper El Pais, and
even the Motion Picture Association of America, as another newspaper
quotes) tried to stop it by denying permission to use the scheduled
venue. So I scheduled a second one, and that was denied again. And a
third time. Finally I gave the conference on the university cafeteria,
for 5 hours, in front of 150 people.
Later on that day (May 4th, I will never forget), I received a call from
the Director of the Masters Degree Program where I was teaching telling
me that the Dean had called and had asked him to "make sure I did not
teach there again", and on a second call saying "it's your choice, but
also your responsibility".
The Director called me and first asked me to remove any link to the
university from my website, and also to "hide" the fact that I was
teaching there. Then he told me about the pressures and threats he and
the Program received (to be subjected to software licenses inspection,
copyright violations inspections, or anything that may damage them).
Obviously I had to resign to save his job (and everybody else's at the
Masters Program). So I did.
But even after I had resigned, when the media (which started to pay
attention to the case, as you can see in the attached links) called, the
Vice-Dean of communications had the nerve to say that "I was never a
teacher in that University, and I only taught a few classes". Sure I was
not a Professor (which I never said I was), but I taught several
subjects there for over 5 years!
It is not so important that I lost my job even though my ratings from
the student satisfaction questionnaire were the highest of the whole
Program, and I never violated any rule, contract, or regulation. I don't
even mind so much that I never received a direct phone call from anyone
objecting to my ideas or procedures. What I regret the most is to have
suffered CENSORSHIP inside my own university (in a European Union member
state, of all places on earth), and as a result of pressures and threats
coming from Collecting Societies and Recording and Movie Industries (on
my website you have proof of all that).
When are we going to do something about it? We can't let them impose
their failed, outdated, and inefficient business model through threats,
pressures and silence. We must speak out. I am wiling to travel the
world (as I am doing now in conferences all over Spain) to tell my
story, and they will not silence me. The truth has to be known. But I
need your help.
This story has already been covered by over 400 Spanish bloggers,
national radio stations, magazines and newspapers. But nobody seems to
have noticed this outside Spain. Could you please help me spread the
word outside Spain?
Should you require any further information, do not hesitate to let me know.
Best regards, and Thank you very much in advance,
Jorge Cortell
jorge (at) cortell (dot) net
jorgecortell (at) mac (dot) com
This website with a lot of information (in Spanish) regarding this issue
(including transcripts, screen captures and other proofs):
http://jorge.cortell.net
Particularly:
http://homepage.mac.com/jorgecortell/blogwavestudio/LH20041021114344/LHA20050505142849/index.html
http://homepage.mac.com/jorgecortell/blogwavestudio/LH20041021114344/LHA20050428093531/index.html
http://homepage.mac.com/jorgecortell/blogwavestudio/LH20041117170647/LHA20050505191504/index.html
http://homepage.mac.com/jorgecortell/blogwavestudio/LH20041117170647/LHA20050505205536/index.html
http://homepage.mac.com/jorgecortell/blogwavestudio/LH20041117170647/LHA20050510142036/index.html
http://homepage.mac.com/jorgecortell/blogwavestudio/LH20041117170647/LHA20050504193150/index.html
http://homepage.mac.com/jorgecortell/blogwavestudio/LH20041117170647/LHA20050504095812/index.html
http://homepage.mac.com/jorgecortell/blogwavestudio/LH20041021114344/LHA20050507235615/index.html
List of Blogs that follow the issue:
http://www.technorati.com/cosmos/search.html?rank=&url=Cortell
Audio of the conference (recorded outdoors):
http://homepage.mac.com/jorgecortell/blogwavestudio/LH20041021114344/LHA20050504184022/index.html
Media coverage.-
NEWSPAPERS:
El Pais (National Newspaper, paid subscription required):
http://www.elpais.es/articulo.html?d_date=&xref=20050512elpcibenr_4&type=Tes&anchor=elpcibred#articulo
El Mundo (National Newspaper):
http://www.elmundo.es/navegante/2005/05/04/esociedad/1115222036.html
20 Minutos (National Newspaper)
http://www.20minutos.es/noticia/22543/0/Politecnica/musica/publico/
NEWS SITES:
Barrapunto (Spanish Slash Dot):
http://barrapunto.com/article.pl?sid=05/05/04/0629243&mode=nested
Noticias dot com:
http://www.noticias.com/index.php?action=mostrar_articulo&id=65103&seccion=Cultura%20y%20Ocio&categoria=&IDCanal=1
Consumer Magazine:
http://www.consumer.es/web/es/tecnologia/2005/05/09/141815.php
Libertad Digital:
http://www.libertaddigital.com/noticias/noticia_1276251087.html
Spanish NetCitizens Association
http://www.internautas.org/html/1/2897.html
http://www.internautas.org/html/1/2913.html
Indymedia Barcelona:
http://barcelona.indymedia.org/newswire/display/178812/index.php
RADIO:
COPE national radio (interview):
http://homepage.mac.com/jorgecortell/blogwavestudio/LH20041021114344/LHA20050516145400/Media/LHA20050516145407.zip
Radio 87Mhz (conference):
http://sindominio.net/radio87mhz/
ENGLISH SPEAKING BLOGS:
English speaking blogger:
http://www.protozoo.com/index.php?postId=78
Another English speaking blogger:
http://ayk.textamerica.com/?r=2483560
And many more links:
http://piezas.bandaancha.st/docs/cortell.html
--
Manon Anne Ress
manon.ress@cptech.org,
www.cptech.org
Consumer Project on Technology in Washington, DC PO Box 19367,
Washington, DC 20036, USA Tel.: +1.202.387.8030, fax: +1.202.234.5176
Consumer Project on Technology in Geneva, 1 Route des Morillons, CP
2100, 1211 Geneva 2, Switzerland. Tel: +41 22 791 6727
Consumer Project on Technology in London, 24 Highbury Crescent, London,
N5 1RX, UK. Tel:+44(0)207 226 6663 ex 252. Mob:+44(0)790 386 4642. Fax:
+44(0)207 354 0607