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U.S. Copyright Report More Rhetoric Than Reality

Posted by Zonk on from the more-bark-than-bite dept.

CanuckGamer writes "Michael Geist has up a great article debunking the U.S. 'Special 301' report that is set to be released this week. The annual copyright report criticizes dozens of countries on their copyright practices, yet Geist notes that the policies are subject to growing criticism within the U.S. and that few countries are actually listening since most ignore the recommendations. 'While the report will generate media headlines and cries for immediate action from Industry Minister Maxime Bernier and Canadian Heritage Minister Bev Oda, the reality is that Canada's record on intellectual property protection meets international standards. Moreover, differences between the U.S. and Canadian economies - the U.S. is a major exporter of cultural products and has therefore unsurprisingly made stronger copyright protection a core element of its trade strategy while Canada is a net importer of cultural products with a billion dollar annual culture deficit - means that U.S.-backed reforms may do more harm than good.'"

6 of 123 comments (clear)

  1. Ummm.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Informative

    "Debunking" means that you've demonstrated that something is false, not that you think it should be disregarded.

  2. Extending copyright is important by $RANDOMLUSER · · Score: 5, Informative

    Life of the author plus 70 years. For corporate works, 95 years from date of publication or 120 tears from date of creation, whichever is shorter. Of course, most authors are incorporated and the corporation holds the copyright. The whole world needs to use this formula - because Sony and Disney and George Lucas aren't making enough money.

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    No folly is more costly than the folly of intolerant idealism. - Winston Churchill
    1. Re:Extending copyright is important by cpt+kangarooski · · Score: 3, Informative

      No, what determines the term length is the nature of the author. Terms run for the life of the author plus 70 years, except for anonymous works, pseudonymous works, and works made for hire, which run either 95 or 120 as you describe. Who holds the copyright has nothing to do with the term length. An author can assign his copyright to a corporation, but the term is still measured based on his life.

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      -- This and all my posts are in the public domain. I am a lawyer. I am not your lawyer, and this is not legal advice.
  3. Information Feudalism by cursorx · · Score: 2, Informative

    Geist raises interesting points, as always. But for a more in-depth look into the sordid history of the Special 301 report, please read Peter Drahos and John Braithwaite's Information Feudalism, if you haven't yet. It's kinda like The Empire Strikes Back, with intellectual property lawyers and the content industry as the Empire, and not only one, but 50+ Darth Vaders.

  4. it's quite shocking... by hobo+sapiens · · Score: 2, Informative

    ...that US policymakers don't listen to some guy who serves as an advisor to the Canadian government.

    Oh, never mind. We don't even listen to our own scientists who repeatedly tell us about global warming.

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    blah blah blah
  5. Re:What Canada should say to the US by dami99 · · Score: 2, Informative

    I'm pretty sure the oil companies are making a profit in the tar sands at $30+ /barrel. You may call it "locked up", but as someone who lives in Alberta I can tell you there is a lot of work happening right now to get that oil out of the tar sands.

    You also imply that all of the oil in Canada is in the tar sands... That is completely untrue.