Re: [antitrust-policy] how does that affect those with no competitive interests?

[Jorge Contreras <[e-mail]>]

>
>
>>>
> > and many
>
>> more would like to.  Also, universities can and are sued for antitrust
>> violations, and there is no 'academic' immunity from these sorts of
>> claims.
>>
>

>
> I've never heard of that. Got some examples that might be relevant
> to the IETF? (Not of IPR or being sued in general, but specific to
> anti-trust/competition law.)



I don't have examples that involve standards IPR (but I haven't looked too
hard yet).  I do know that universities have been sued for antitrust
violations like colluding to fix tuition rates, etc.  I can dig up some of
these cases if you're really interested.


>
> ...
>
> My point is that this policy assumes that all participants can
> in principle be anti-competition which seems like nonsense to
> me.
>

Unless someone is participating in IETF purely out of personal interest or
scientific curiosity, and neither he/she nor his/her employer has any
financial interest, then antitrust violations can be committed.  I suspect
this category of people is pretty small.