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Proposed Canadian Laws to Nix P2P Music Sharing

Posted by timothy on from the what-about-artists-who-want-you-to-download-for-free? dept.

limber writes "During this past weekend's Juno awards (a vapid Canadian music industry shindig) Canadian Heritage Minister Liza Frulla brought up proposed new legislation that would make downloading music on the Internet without paying for it illegal. High (or low) lights of the legislation include: forcing 'ISPs to monitor individual customer Internet connections for suspicious activity,' and giving the music industry and songwriters 'the tools to sue' illegal downloaders. Frulla further noted she 'wanted to persuade children that downloading music for free is wrong.'

5 of 60 comments (clear)

  1. As opposed to the many vapid american shindigs by MerlynEmrys67 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    When will these groups stop giving awards for bad music to artists that sell out so their fans can't even access their music if the artist wants to let them

    --
    I have mod points and I am not afraid to use them
  2. Downloading to yourself by sfcat · · Score: 5, Insightful

    What happens if you are copying music you have bought to yourself (say from home to work), or music that is "opensource" (i.e. smaller bands than encourage mp3 distributions). Does this law allow loopholes for these circumstances? If Canadian politicans are anything like American ones, there will be a script that autosues file traders even if the file is only named after a song (and doesn't actually contain the music, i.e. song lyrics).

    --
    "Those that start by burning books, will end by burning men."
    1. Re:Downloading to yourself by grahammm · · Score: 2, Insightful

      The legislators making the laws probably do not even know that 'opensource' music exists. They will have been briefed by the music 'industry' who would rather such freely (as in beer) available music did not exist and who pretend that it does not. They act as though the only legal source of music is through their members. It is the same as when legal downloads are mentioned in the media, the sites and artists offering free music are never mentioned.

  3. Re:Democracy by CrimsonAvenger · · Score: 2, Insightful
    When are these asshats going to clue in to the fact that we live in a democracy. If 90% of the population wants free music downloads, then the government and the media industry is in the wrong for trying to stop us.

    If 90% of the population wants to kill every Amerind (Native American, whatever you're calling them now), does that make the government wrong for trying to stop you?

    For that matter, if 90% of the population wants the USA to nuke Toronto (yeah, I was never very impressed with Toronto - just another big, ugly, city), would that mean that the government should just forward the request to Washington?

    Remeber, democracy isn't quite the same thing as "Mob Rule", much as many people would like to make it so.

    --

    "I do not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it"
  4. Write your MP.. by xtal · · Score: 2, Insightful

    If you're really concerned, write to the opposition party leaders and/or their shadow cabinet representatives as well. I am uncertain how to get this information directly, so I send it to the opposition party leaders.

    http://canada.gc.ca/directories/direct_e.html

    Your voice DOES MATTER IN CANADA. People will pay attention. Write something.

    --
    ..don't panic