[free-sklyarov] AAP's Judith Platt replies to Politech post, clarifies remarks

[James S. Huggins (Free Sklyarov)]

from Declan McCullagh's politech email list


-----Original Message-----
Sent: Saturday, August 04, 2001 11:11 AM
To: politech at politechbot.com
Cc: jplatt at publishers.org; lisa_bowman at zdnet.com
Subject: FC: AAP's Judith Platt replies to Politech post, clarifies
remarks


Response to:
http://www.politechbot.com/p-02311.html

********

From: Judith Platt <jplatt at publishers.org>
To: "'declan at well.com'" <declan at well.com>
Subject: The ZD Net Story
Date: Mon, 30 Jul 2001 10:40:19 -0400

Dear Declan:

In case anyone out there is REALLY interested in the truth re the ZDNEt
story on librarians and copyright, I was quoted completely out of context.
The reporter totally misinterpreted my remarks, either through her own lack
of understanding or a desire to ratchet up discord between publishers and
librarians.  My reference to "Ruby Ridge," while perhaps ill-advised, was
used metaphorically to indicate an extremist position out of the
mainstream--a very radical view that has been expressed in some quarters
(although not by any librarians of my acquaintance) that all computer code
is protected speech under the First Amendment and that no one--neither a
publisher nor an author, nor anyone else-should be able to encrypt
copyrighted material to protect it from unauthorized use and reproduction,
and expect the encryption to be viewed as any other lock used to protect
property.  My reference to an "extreme position"  HAD NOTHING WHATSOEVER TO
DO WITH THE DESIRE OR ABILITY OF LIBRARIANS TO MAKE INFORMATION FREELY
AVAILABLE.

What the reporter, Ms. Bowman, failed to include in her article were my
numerous statements about the cooperative relationship between publishers
(and their national trade association) and librarians.  We  totally value
what librarians do and we are working together to come up with ways that
will take full advantage of the new digital environment to make information
available to the widest possible audience without sacrificing the legitimate
copyright interests of authors and publishers.

Judith Platt
Director of Communications & Public Affairs
Association of American Publishers


Judith Platt
Director of Communications & Freedom to Read
Association of American Publishers
50 F Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001
email: jplatt at publishers.org




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