Review:
This video is a recording of a panel discussion session at the ``Computers, Freedom and Privacy '96''
conference held at MIT.
The panel organizer is Pamela Samuelson, who has contributed a number of columns in the area
of computer law to the {\it Communications of the ACM}\/.
Samuelson describes the ground rules for the panel as ``to generate more light than heat''
and to ``not be to U.S.-centric.''
Two of the three panelists are from Western Europe and one is from the U.S.,
not including Samuelson.
The video follows a standard format for panel discussions. Samuelson introduces the panel, each panelist makes a short statement and then the panel is open for questions. The panelists touch on a wide variety of issues, including the Scientology incidents, the ``commodification'' of intellectual property, the moves to strengthen copyright protection in cyberspace, moral versus economic rights in copyright, and others.
I think that this video is not one that students will readily appreciate unless they do some background reading first. Some initial basic introduction to copyright, patent, and current issues of intellectual property on the internet will make the video much more valuable. Also, like many panel discussions, the pace is a bit slow at times and the total time is a bit long for the content. Still, overall, I would recommend this video.
Video Format/Length:
The video was viewed in VHS format, approximately 108 minutes long.
Ordering Information:
This video is listed as ISBN 1-57844-033-5. It is available from: