From: Kevin Smith <[log in to unmask]> Date: Tue, 1 Mar 2016 10:28:33 +0000 It is probably worth remember that the policy of ignoring copyrights granted by foreign governments, which is what SciHub is doing, was also the stance of the American publishing industry throughout the 19th century. Publishing grew as fast as it did in the U.S. in part because it was able to publish works from abroad without negotiating royalties, since our nation did not recognize rights over foreign IP. Copyright is not a god-given natural right, and we should avoid reifying it. It is, in fact, a form of economic social engineering design to achieve particular conditions. When it no longer serves its purpose, it may be time to reconsider our commitment to the copyright regime once again, as a policy decision made for specific historical conditions that no longer obtain. Kevin