Slashdot mentioned today that Harry Potter book 6 was leaked. Apparently about 15 copies were sold early at a bookstore in Vancouver. This, in and of itself, does not surprise me. But it seems the distributor got an injunction prohibiting people from even talking about the books prior to the official release date.
I know it’s Canada, but the precedent set by something like this is still rather frightening. If it had happened in the U.S., it surely would be unconstitutional, given our first amendment rights. Otherwise, what’s to stop courts from issuing arbitrary injunctions preventing people from talking about the president’s speech today, or other topics not protected by nondisclosure agreements (key word here: agreements)?
Of course, some people on Slashdot commented that it’s probably just a publicity stunt. In that case, umm, don’t buy books from this company. =P
“There is no greater power in the universe than the need for freedom. Against that power governments, and tyrants, and armies cannot stand.”
—G’Kar, Babylon 5