Reg of Copyrights concedes (C) term is too long

Via Boing Boing:

Marybeth Peters, the Register of Copyrights, has publicly stated that the copyright term is too long. In context, she effectively says that it's been hijacked and turned from a law designed to benefit the public interest to one designed to benefit publishers, though this is implicit.

Perhaps I've been too critical of Ms. Peters in my recent writing, notably in Catch 1201 and in my DMCA exemption proceedings reply comment (pdf). I still disagree with several of the conclusions she has drawn--particularly her willingness to ignore real harms as "mere inconveniences" and to give the entertainment industry a free pass on claims of widespread infringement that would supposedly come from proposed exemptions. But I'm pleased to see another bit of evidence that she's willing to speak on behalf of the public interest.