On/Off the Agenda: Intellectual Property Rights, the UN and the Global Politics of the Internet

There was a time when finding a book involved a trip to the local library, reading it involved a search for a quiet corner with a comfortable chair, and a photocopier was necessary if one wanted to distribute it. The emergence of digital technologies has collapsed the boundaries between these three activities—accessing, using and copying—which are so central to our dealings with original and copyright-protected works, such as books. This has consequences for users, who comfortably but precariously can down-load, enjoy and forward such products. For producers and rights holders it means that while distribution is simple, control over content is difficult. And for those seeking to set the rules and regulations for such products, this collapse means that existing treaties and other forms of regulation no longer suffice. This case study sheds light on how the issue of intellectual property rights (IPR) has been constructed, handled and negotiated as a key concern in the ongoing process of addressing the global politics of the Internet, under the auspices of the United Nations.