It’s vital for effective citizenship.
Sterling 13 – Contributor to Wired Magazine.
Bruce Sterling, “Secret laws and copyrighted technical standards,” Wired, 02-24-2013, https://www.wired.com/2013/02/secret-laws-and-copyrighted-technical-standards/
"The public has a right to meaningful access to the laws that govern their lives," said Carl Malamud, the president and founder of Public Resource. "Technical standards like the ones in this document have the force of law, and people need to know them in order to comply with regulatory obligations, keep the public safe, and avoid costly penalties. The right of citizens to read and speak the law is fundamental to an informed citizenry in the United States and throughout the world. Ignorance of the law is no excuse, which means we have to be able to read the law."
In a petition for declaratory and injunctive relief filed today, EFF and Public Resource asked the court to rule that posting the standards does not infringe any copyright.
"Building codes and other technical specifications touch our lives every day, and Public Resource is helping to make it easier for us to access and understand how they affect us," said EFF Intellectual Property Director Corynne McSherry. "We're asking the judge today to let Public Resource continue its important work in increasing the public's access to the laws and regulations that govern us."