Canadian Copyright Group Seeks To License the Net

An anonymous reader writes "A new Toronto Star article from Michael Geist not only describes why Canadian Ministers of Education are pushing a copyright proposal that will harm Internet access, but also reveals how a copyright group is seeking to create a new license for Internet content. Access Copyright, a copyright collective, wants to use a new international text standard to license everything from books to blogs. Geist outlines in his blog how Canadians can fight back against these bonehead proposals."

Comments

Can you say RIAA?

[RAMMS EIN]

FTFA:

``Moreover, it is far better than a counter-proposal from Access Copyright that seeks to develop a new licensing system for the use of Internet-based content. According to documents obtained under the Access to Information Act, the copyright collective has asked the Ministry of Canadian Heritage for funding to become the Canadian collective for a new international standard that can be used to register any "textual work" from books to blogs. Armed with a collection of "registered" online text, Access Copyright will be positioned to create a new license for the use of Internet content.''

So, AC wants you to register your work with them, so that they can then license it to everybody? That's what the record labels do, right?

Re:Copyright is a crime against humanity

[hotdiggity]

I've read this comment four times and still can't decide whether the poster is being ironic. My guess is yes, but then why are people modding it as interesting as opposed to funny? For the record, forgetting about the issues of DRM and stupid software patents, copyright by and large is good for code protection, protecting textbooks which take serious effort to develop, and so on. We can't force everyone to give ideas away. Some people may actually want to negotiate the compensation for their efforts if they specify the right to do so at the time of publication. This silly push by the Canadian government, if true, clearly crosses that line.

Having said that, I'm pretty sure the Marxist post was ironic. In which case: hilarious! Rise up, ye proleteriat, and seize your rightful means of production! With your help we will recreate the glorious days of the Soviet Union, which only needed a few more years to shake the bugs out and acheive political perfection.

Re:Copyright is a crime against humanity

[ElleyKitten]

Gosh, and I thought it was part of the mechanism that allows me to charge for the stuff I write (e.g. http://www.examulator.com/tamer/ ) Nice to know that I'm a member of the ruling classes though. No, you could still easily charge for stuff without copyright. Bookstores still charge for Shakespeare books, even though there's no copyright on that. What copyright does is prevent other publishers from taking your work and selling it without your permission or giving you any money. Shakespeare, being dead, doesn't mind, but you might.