
White House petition to bring down paywalls on taxpayer-funded research - RichardPrice
https://wwws.whitehouse.gov/petitions/%21/petition/require-free-access-over-internet-scientific-journal-articles-arising-taxpayer-funded-research/wDX82FLQ?utm_source=wh.gov&utm_medium=shorturl&utm_campaign=shorturl
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cookiecaper
Why waste time with this kind of thing? Is there any evidence that any
congressional office or other significant legislative influence checks the
"White House petition site" and uses it as a serious barometer of public
interest? It just seems like a distraction, a waste of energy. Why not call
your Congressperson instead? Why not start a rally that will be picked up by
the local news station? Why not get everyone you know to call your
Congressperson on the matter? These things all seem much more effective than
promoting a petition on whitehouse.gov.

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dannyr
This is part of a social media strategy. This petition will spread thru
Facebook and Twitter.

It worked against SOPA.

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pyre
I would say that what work against SOPA was big names like Google and
Wikipedia weighing in on the matter.

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dannyr
If the internet population wasn't behind it, I don't think Google or Wikipedia
would matter much.

The noise generated on Twitter and Facebook made politicians take a closer
look on SOPA and companies voice their opposition to it.

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cookiecaper
I don't think that Google and Wikipedia used the number of signatures on the
petition on whitehouse.gov as a major component in their decisions to come out
against SOPA.

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zallarak
Seems like this should be the default; that publicly funded research is free
for the public.

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InclinedPlane
whitehouse.gov petitions have proven to be an absolutely useless way to effect
change or even to raise awareness of issues. In the best case scenario a
"successful" petition is met with nothing more than a form letter.

If you want to stand up and be heard contact your senators and your
congressional reps and send a separate letter to the whitehouse as well. Don't
waste your time with these useless virtual petitions.

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drcube
I would go further: Any intellectual property funded with taxpayer money
should be put in the public domain.

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grandalf
Is this important when stuff like the items below is going on:

[http://www.buzzfeed.com/mhastings/congressmen-seek-to-
lift-p...](http://www.buzzfeed.com/mhastings/congressmen-seek-to-lift-
propaganda-ban)

and

[http://www.salon.com/2012/05/16/obamas_new_free_speech_threa...](http://www.salon.com/2012/05/16/obamas_new_free_speech_threat/singleton/)

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dwhly
Why yes, it is. Very much so.

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grandalf
why? Should we all just accept your pronouncement as truth?

