Pluralistic: Priceful (28 Sep 2026)

Blog · Watch/Read · (gathered 2026-09-30)

• Cory Doctorow redefines “IP” (Intellectual Property) as “any law that lets me reach beyond the walls of my company to exert control over my competitors, critics and customers,” arguing that this framing reveals its true purpose beyond mere property rights.
• He advocates for a “consent regime” for privacy, akin to bodily autonomy, where continuous, informed consent can be withdrawn at any time, rather than the current “property regime” where privacy is “sold” via terms of service.
• For creative workers, Doctorow asserts that “labor rights” (like multi-employer bargaining, as seen in the Hollywood writers’ strike) are far more effective than copyright in protecting against exploitation, including by AI, which studios want to license for their own benefit, not artists'.
• The essay distinguishes between “priceful” things (which can be assigned a price and are thus cheap) and “priceless” things (like human life or bodily integrity). It warns against framing fundamental rights as property, as it cheapens them and makes them vulnerable to being bargained away, urging a focus on autonomy and consent instead.