USACM is committed to ensuring that intellectual property rights are protected. How those rights are enforced can block other, legitimate uses of intellectual property, as many computer science researchers and developers have discovered. USACM encourages policymakers to adopt policies that address specific user behaviors, rather than broadly prohibiting technologies that may be used for both desirable and undesirable purposes. Policy should not prohibit an otherwise beneficial technology just because it can be used for an illegal purpose. Additionally, policymakers need to make sure that fair uses of intellectual property are preserved. Without fair use rights, researchers, students and others cannot effectively exchange knowledge and information.
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