DigitalCopyright.ca
An all-too-important site that I must take the time to mention: Digital Copyright Canada. Lately. Canada has been pursuing a number of initiatives that will prove damaging over the course of the next few years, mainly out of complete ignorance of what the Internet is, and what it’s capable of being.
As a producer of multimedia products, design work and plenty of written material, I understand the need for Intellectual Property rights. People have put plenty of time, effort and ideas into their products, and need to be compensated (that is, if they choose to be). So what’s the problem?
At issue here is the way the proposed system is a “catch-all” for all types of media, no matter what the source or intended end-use. This shows a misunderstanding of how the Net works. For example, what happens when, in this blog, I quote a passage from another blog or a news source? What happens when I put up some snapshots I took of my friend’s wedding? Creating a website of essays to share my thoughts? Even linking to another site without their permission? Copyright lawyers warn that the “Internet-friendly” update of the Copyright Act, as well as the ratification of the WIPO treaty, will suddenly legally jeopardise all of the above. Which means the potential for rampant suing, primitive hair-trigger notice-and-takedown policies, government-mandated witch hunts, and more.
It’s not the need to pursue valid Intellectual Property protection that I have an issue with: it’s the right to speak freely and without fear, it’s the right to share ideas and communicate with others, and it’s the right to learn without legal restriction. All these things and more are at risk today.
Digital Copyright Canada is a news site providing a running list of news reports, blog entries and initiatives that affect the rights of Canadians (and anybody else in danger of signing the WIPO treaty) wishing to share ideas. There, you’ll find more links than I could possibly offer in my blog.
Also, find a great summary of some of the notice-and-takedown issues on BoingBoing (written by Cory Doctorow, who is certainly coming out of his corner with fists flying), and a fledgeling online petition at PetitionSpot.
Add comment November 18th, 2004