Apple Flexes Muscles to Squash Artist
In a typicaly dickish show of corporate force, Apple has silenced an artist’s attempt to create a satirical comment on the ownership of culture and intellectual property rights. Francis Hwang purchased an iPod, pre-loaded it with most of the Negativland back catalog and modified the box art to sell on eBay as a conceptual art project. “Given the unsettled history of the Negativland “U2″ single, in which Island Records sued Negativland and SST Records into submission in the early ’90s,” Hwang states, “I thought this would make a good commentary on the ongoing struggles over ownership of culture, not to mention a Duchampian poke at the issues of authorship in a world of industrial manufacture and easy recombination.” One day before the auction was to end, eBay notified Hwang that the listing was being shut down at Apple’s request — citing infringement of intellectual property rights.
See the archived listing of this item here.
-jason, Clamor co-editor
December 24th, 2004 at 1:14 pm
I am the founder of www.Revolutionaryeye.com.
We here at The Eye have spent the past two years spreading the virus known as vote republican-swastika symbol that is like eboli for republicans.
We have seen it spread thur the protests at the R.N.C and then around the world.
Stolen elections, civil rights infringement, and endless wars with Godless enemies is the result of the most amazing war of words that has ever been fought.
We, being the losing side in this unending war, must begin to fight with the same reptilian nature as the victors.
The corprate right-wing is a well oiled machine, who put things into context.
They only want to win and they win because they will do anything to achieve that goal.
I propose that we being the underdog in this war of words begin to fight back using the same tactics.
I would like to recommend reading 1984 ,just to remind you that the world we live in has a model.
We can win this war, we must win this war, it is our freedoms that we are fighting to save from the grip of facist doom.
your comrad,
Lee Harvey
December 26th, 2004 at 2:11 pm
Your comrad(e), Lee Harvey?
I think my irony meter just collapsed on itself.
If that’s your penname, I suggest a real name. If that’s your real name, I suggest a penname.
There are very few fringies out there willing to follow a “revolutionary” named Lee Harvey.
Jason, your new friend scares me.
February 2nd, 2005 at 12:21 pm
I really like the purpose of this site and supports it strongly, but I think this story is a little thin. I doesnt mention why excately Apple wanted this ebay action stopped.
To say its a control of the freedom of speech, based on the information given in the article, is a fast conclusion to draw. Could it be that Apple simply didnt like that somebody was copying a product of theres, using typo and logos protectet by copyrights?
Please go a little deeper next time.
February 15th, 2005 at 5:54 pm
Jason,
I really like your site. It is very important to put these ideas out there, no matter how many vistors you have .
so keep up the good work.
lee harvey
www.leeharveyinc.com
p.s
jake is a dick.