Slashdot Mirror
Decriminalizing File Swapping
IAmTheDave writes "Wired reports that judicial activism is taking hold in France, much to the dismay of the recording industry, as judges are beginning to suspend the sentences of convicted file swappers. Further, they believe they are starting a revolution against the draconian laws at the base of the industry's legal agenda, and that sometimes laws need to be changed. Says Judge Dominique Barella of the laws against file swapping in today's society: 'It is similar to the sociological consequences of the Prohibition period in the U.S. (during the 1920s). Certain laws can have unexpected consequences on society.'"
it's not that creation in general is stymied by copyright protection, because there are always more individuals who wish to make their living off of their creative work, but that an artist's continued indvidual production loses incentive when they've made a hit song or two and can live off of it for the rest of their lives. why should creative artists be able to record a song once and then do nothing but live off of it for the rest of their lives? if there weren't copyrights, they'd still be able to make a living off of their music, but they'd have to work for it by touring or something
as far as jingles go, maybe there should be continued royalties for commercial use. i don't have all the answers. however, i feel that creative works SHOULD at some reasonable point become public domain, at least for individual use. reasonable, to me, seems like 20 years or so. perhaps your thoughts vary...