The US government just loves iTunes. In March, it was Secretary of Commerce Carlos “Wild Man” Gutierrez who had Apple’s back in the whole melee with the French. Now Thomas “T-bar” Barnett, the Justice Department’s antitrust chief, has thrown himself into the ring, encouraging other countries to get off Apple’s case.
In prepared remarks, Barnett said the scrutiny of Apple “provides a useful illustration of how an attack on intellectual property rights can threaten dynamic innovation.”Now, Barnett didn’t name any names—cough France cough Norway—but it’s pretty clear where he’s heading, n’est-ce pas?Barnett said Apple should be applauded for creating a legal, profitable and easy-to-use system for downloading music and other entertainment using the internet.
Excessive government interference can deter innovation and encourage rival companies to “devote their resources to legal challenges rather than business innovation,” he added.
