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Tech Companies Say Don't Blame Canada For Copyright Problems
An anonymous reader writes "The Computer & Communications Industry Association, which includes a who's-who of the tech world, including Microsoft, Google, T-Mobile, Fujitsu, AMD, eBay, Intuit, Oracle, and Yahoo, has issued a strong defense of current Canadian copyright law, arguing that the US is wrong to place Canada on the annual Special 301 list. The submission argues that the US should not criticize Canada for not implementing anti-circumvention rules (PDF) and warns against using the Special 301 process to 'remake the world in the image of the DMCA.'"
But they've left out all of the dumb, anti-consumer portions that increasingly blight US law. How DARE they!
I only get 100 gigs a month from Shaw, I usually do at least double that, but all my connections are encrypted, be it BT or usenet. So far, no warnings after a few years of doing so, but they have mentioned that my area has very low usage compared to my personal usage when I've called to get my modem reset.
To get back on topic, the chances are very remote, and that's the way I like it. Personally, I feel Canadian copyright law is far ahead of the US's DMCA centric attitude. The nature of copyright has to evolve with current times and technologies, allowing P2P downloads for personal use while putting a fee on MP3 players and blank media is a compromise that I see as fair.
Geeks don't grock information, they grep it.
Michael Geist's Blog - Dr. Geist is a law professor who takes a rather dim view of the constant calls to make copyright law more strict.
The Pirate Party of Canada - a small concern now, only about 100 card-carrying members, but it's not going to get any bigger (or reach the point where it's officially a party) if people don't get involved and at least send a bit of money their way to get over the legal hurdles. ($10 membership fee).
Canada likes America. We just think you're mostly all insane. But after putting up with Quebec for so long, that's not a big deal.
Funny - most of us Quebecois would say we put up with the rest of Canada ;)
All jokes aside, I think it must be pointed out that Quebec (alongside some political parties like the NDP) has been fighting for years against the rising "American" attitude towards copyright and culture in Ottawa. Culture being extremely important to us (it's basically the only thing left that distinguishes us from most of North America), our society and artists are extremely vocal about protecting everyone's right, both the artist's and the citizen's, equally and fairly.
As a result, for example, the Quebec music industry is healthy and vibrant with talent, a lot of it fresh and new (think Arcade Fire, Malajube, Dumas, Rufus Wainwright, Jorane, Simple Plan, DJ Champion) and others older but well established (Leonard Cohen, Harmonium, Sam Roberts, Angèle Dubeau, Gregory Charles, Les Colocs)...
Insane? Maybe ;) But come and attend some of Montreal's great summer fests (Jazz Fest, Francofolies, Osheaga, Just For Laughs) and you'll see insane is sometimes not that bad a thing ;)
When I was younger, 40 odd years ago, I used to wonder why America was considered a bastion of freedom. Possession of certain plants were highly illegal, being a communist was illegal, kids who went to the States for a year of schooling came back with stories about having to swear allegiance to the flag every day much like in a dictatorship. Black people were finally being allowed to use the same washrooms as white people. They could with a straight face have a constitution which stated all men were equal and allowed slavery.
America always seemed like the ultimate example of successful propaganda.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inverted_totalitarianism