Aardvark

[Bruce Simpson]

This column is archived at: http://aardvark.co.nz/daily/2009/1110.shtml

Is the ACTA itself a conterfeit?

Are they attempting to pass-off what is in effect a new copyright convention as a piece of legislation essential to reduce counterfeiting?

Is copying a mate's CD or downloading a few tracks that are no longer available through traditional sources really "counterfeiting"?

Will we see the return of the three-strikes provision along with an excuse from government that "we have no option" because it's now part of an international trade-agreement?

Nobody would have dared suggest that governments outlaw the internal combustion engine as away of protecting the blacksmithing industry back at the turn of the century so why are we effectively about to do this with copyright?

Why can't the IP-owners simply be told "go away and fix your outdated business models"?

And why are Kiwis so silent when we're seeing secret laws drafted behind closed doors in what is supposed to be a democratic country?

[BruceNZ]

[Online Gamer]

And what can you do about it ..Nothing..

Its already been proven that the Gov't will do whatever the hell it wants, no matter what a majority of the people say.

---

[Sophocles]

It's sad when the pollies are out of step with their populations. The UK Music annual academic survey shows this and supports Bruce's arguments well.

The main article can be read here:
http://www.ukmusic.org/component/content/article/25-research/153-uk-music-research-highlights-the-complexity-of-consuming-copying-and-sharing-of-music-between-14-24-year-olds

The age group surveyed were 14 - 24 year olds. The highlights from it are:
• Music remains the most valued form of entertainment

• 87% said that copying between devices is important to them

• 86% of respondents have copied a CD for a friend; 75% have sent music by email, Bluetooth, Skype or MSN; 57% have copied a friend's entire music collection; 39% have downloaded music from an online storage site; and 38% have ripped a TV, radio or internet stream.

• The computer is the main entertainment hub – 68% of respondents use it every day to listen to music

• Ownership of music is hugely important – both online and offline

• Popularity of P2P remains unchanged since 2008 – 61% said they download music using P2P networks or torrent trackers. Of this group, 83% are doing so on a weekly or daily basis

• There is real interest for new licensed services. 85% of P2P downloaders said they would be interested in paying for an unlimited all-you-can-eat MP3 download service

• Young people have an inherent sense of what copyright is, but choose to ignore it – the vast majority of respondents knew that sharing copyrighted content is not legal, yet continue to do so

As Bruce has said: a completely different world view from their parents!

I came across another article in the NZ Herald ( I think it was late last week) which strongly suggested the changes the RIAA et al were seeking were actually going to damage their market, not protect it. By going after the "pirates," they were actually going after their best customers. Those who downloaded and shared their music were also those who purchased the most by far --- nearly twice as much as those who didn't or wouldn't download/share. It would be interesting to see the fallout .

One day the RIAA and their followers may learn the lesson learnt by the Grateful Dead group which was: let the fans bring recorders to concerts, let them record, copy and share. It meant CD sales rose and concerts sold out!

[shadowx]

Bruce,

So after the law is put in place when do we get a tax break for allowing the government to use our freedom as a bargining chip. sureley if we give something up we are due some kind of compensation.

The reality is that weven with these laws in place unless you have deep pockets and can afford legal representation to persue your claim against the party that breached the law you are not going to get anywhere. SO this law as i see it is going to benifit the big corporates at the expense of the little guys (again)

However it will give lawyers more work.

[techy]

[shadowx]

Well here is an idea, instead of hammering the public with new laws how about the government create a "reasonable profit law" that prohibits the music companies putting such a huge margin on the media in the first place and ensure the public that the government is supposed to represent are not being ripped off. this also extends to the artist so that the artist gets a fair share of the take as at present they do not from what I understand.

Doing so is likely to result in people purchasing more as they know they are getting a fair deal rather than being ripped off.