Undoubtedly millions of readers are wondering about the NYT’s use of the term when it told readers that one of the goals of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is to, “protect intellectual property from theft.” Actually one of the goals of the TPP is to strengthen and lengthen patent and copyright protections.

After this is done, those who do not respect the new laws can be accused of “theft,” however it makes no sense to accuse someone of theft for breaking laws that do not exist. The NYT may want strong and long protections, but a newspaper should not be calling people who do not adhere to its views of intellectual property “thieves.”