IPac iPod FAQ

1. Aren't Senators prohibited from receiving gifts?

Senators are prohibited from receiving gifts that exceed $50, but in-kind donations to their campaigns are subject to different rules. We'll be sending these iPods to their campaign offices, and we'll be encouraging them to use the devices for "campaign related" activities like watching news clips and learning about important constituent issues like balanced copyright. We've consulted with lawyers about this and are confident it's all perfectly legal.

2. But Senators are rich! Why spend money on iPods for their campaigns?

This project is based on the idea that copyright and technology are complex topics, and legislators need help making them concrete. Having a device that embodies many of the important issues in digital copyright (fair use, space and format shifting, DRM, etc.) is a great teaching tool. It helped Sen. Ted Stevens, just as it helped Rep. John Doolittle two years ago. And of course, it's not like we're dropping off unopened iPods and calling it a day. Each one will include public domain and Creative Commons-licensed music, movies, pictures, and texts. It will also be accompanied by a letter explaining the policy issues embodied in that little device. So don't think of this as a consumer toy, but rather as a copyright-curriculum-in-a-box.

3. Exactly which Senators are you targeting?

We're targeting Senators who work on copyright and technology policy. We can't be more specific because of the Federal Election Commission's rules on "conduits" for campaign funds. If donors know who the iPod is going to, we have to disburse the iPod within ten days of receiving the first donation. That's a difficult thing to do, considering the time required for engraving, shipping to IPac, loading of materials, and then shipping to the campaign offices. We will, however, publish the recipients of each iPod after we've closed donations to them.

4. What will you do with any excess funds?

If we run out of Senators, we'll start working on the 435 members of the House of Representatives. If we cover every single Congressperson, we'll take the campaign down, and any extra dollars that we've already gotten will be placed in IPac's general operating budget. And we'll dance a jig because our supporters are so awesome!

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