Congress gave the U.S. International Trade Commission the power to bar imports of products that infringe U.S. patents or otherwise offer their makers an unfair competitive edge. But should the ITC be able to block the flow of information as well?
The question is forcing the courts to deal with the legal ramifications of the digital age. And last week it prompted a flood of amicus briefs from groups concerned that a ruling in an IP battle over orthodontic braces could give the ITC jurisdiction over the transfer of Internet data files.
