WASHINGTON D.C. - A distinguished panel of experts has been added to The Progress & Freedom Foundation Congressional Seminar December 10. "Grokster and the Supreme Court: The Case for and Against Consideration" will feature Recording Industry Association of America Senior Vice President for Government Relations Mitch Glazier, Center for Democracy and Technology Associate Director Alan Davidson, and Morrison & Foerster partner Jonathan Band. They will be joined in the debate by The Progress & Freedom Foundation Senior Fellow James DeLong. PFF Senior Adjunct Fellow Solveig Singleton will moderate the discussion.

The disputes in the Grokster case, as well as the debate earlier this year in the Senate over the so-called Induce Act, all stem from one question - whether we need to rethink secondary liability rules in the digital age. The four panelists will debate that topic, as well as to what extent any change should occur in the courts or in Congress. The Supreme Court is expected any day now to announce if they will hear the case; if they don't, the issue of P2P liability is almost certain to be debated again in the 109th Congress.

Glazier's RIAA represents some of the plaintiffs in Grokster, and is one of the parties that appealed the Ninth Circuit Court's ruling. Band has written and lectured extensively on fair use and the Sony decision, which is at the center of the Grokster case, and has been critical of the content industry during this debate. Davidson will speak on the implications of the case on technology and fair use. DeLong, director of PFF's Center for the Study of Digital Property, authored an amicus brief to the High Court urging it to hear the Grokster appeal.

The last Congressional Seminar of 2004 will be on December 10 from 12-2 p.m. in the Rayburn House Office Building, Room B369. Lunch will be served. Those interested in attending should register here. Media questions should be directed to Patrick Ross at 202-289-8928 or pross@pff.org. Other questions should be directed to Andrea Knutsen at 202-289-8928 or aknutsen@pff.org.

The Progress & Freedom Foundation is a market-oriented think tank that studies the digital revolution and its implications for public policy. It is a 501(c)(3) research & educational organization.