IPR, Copyright/ Left, CC Questions (Group 12)

http://www.wipo.int/freepublications/en/intproperty/450/wipo_pub_450.pdf

1. When searching to make sure that no other trademarks are similar to the new proposal, what guidelines does the committee follow to make that decision? What justifies something being too similar or different?

I really like the line, "The progress and well-being of humanity rest on its capacity to create and invent new works in the areas of technology and culture..." This is an interesting perspective and I think it is so true. Without protection of ideas, no new products could ever be designed and created and without this creation, there would be no progress. The core idea of our society is to create and continue moving forward with new ideas and this can only happen with IPRs improving the quality of life. Nothing we take for granted such as movies and medicine, would exist without this system. Until this article, I had no idea how important this system really was.  I have this great idea for a new product, but clearly I can't post it online because someone will try to steal it and make it their own since it isn't patented. I like this though, because it protects from idea theft which can take away recognition or even money from the rightful owner. I also never thought about industrial designs being patented, I always assumed it was s free-for-all, so this was interesting news to me.

IT: Privacy and Security Questions (Group 6)

1.) What does the bank do with this private data after it's unnecessary or obsolete? How long can they keep it and/or who can they share this data with? Personally I am okay with the  banks knowing my privacy information or my IP address if that means that my money is safer, but I don't want anyone else having access to that sensitive data...

2.) Whoa, the transparency grenade makes private governmental information public to everyone... Is this really a good idea? Leaking governmental information makes it easier for citizens and activists to be involved and aware, but it also makes it easier for people plotting against the US to gain information they would use in a negative way. I think there is a reason that the government keeps certain information private, and certain information public and I think it should be kept that way.

3.) What does the government (or anyone who's formerly private information is becoming public) have to say about the transparency grenade?

Data Mining and Searching Questions (Group 4)

A Deep Dive into Facebook and Datalogix

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2012/09/deep-dive-facebook-and-datalogix-whats-actually-getting-shared-and-how-you-can-opt

1.) I know Facebook has a lot of advertisements on the side that say "click here", but what about when users don't use that direct link but still purchase something because of Facebook? How can we make a direct link or measure this?

2.) IS THIS LEGAL?! This is all extremely (what I thought to be) confidential information... It is scary how many things can be monitored that I do that I am completely and utterly unaware of. How am I supposed to feel safe now knowing I am being monitored even when I don't know what I am being monitored for?

3.) We have the constitutional right to privacy... So then why doesn't Datalogix ASK us before giving this information instead of making opting out the exception to the rule? PEOPLE ARE NOT AWARE THIS IS HAPPENING, so how can they possibly know opting out is even an option?