Copyright Isn't Working, Says EU Technology Chief Neelie Kroes

superglaze writes "Against the backdrop of governments and courts around the world ordering ISPs to block file-sharing sites, European commissioner Neelie Kroes has said people have started to see copyright as 'a tool to punish and withhold, not a tool to recognise and reward. ... Citizens increasingly hear the word copyright and hate what is behind it,' the EU's digital chief said, adding that the copyright system also wasn't rewarding the vast majority of artists."

Comments

Rewards

[Anonymous Coward]

One day a friend of mine went to the factory where CDs are made. He asked someone from the OSA (association for authors protection) what would he get, while beeing registered under OSA, if he composed song (music and lyrics) and someone else would play it e.g. at some concert. The guy from OSA replied that nothing because those money from artistic work usage are distributed according the frequency of appearance on radio or TV. This is clearly punishing those who pay, because they would like to give their money to the composer instead to some mainstream shitty composer. Think of this story when buying clean CD's.

Rent-seeking

[srussia]

Not because they could make a tiny amount of money from you, but because everything else, legal issues, tax issues, capital investments, required company resources, opportunity cost from not doing something else instead, even lower prices through increased competition, etc.Call that the inconvenience factor. That's the problem with capitalism. It isn't about trading with the most number of people, it is about maximizing profit.

Actually, it's not that they can make less money from certain markets, but rather they can make more in others thanks to rent-seeking

Re:Strong statement by European commissioner Kroes

[houghi]

I remember when she got the job, I thought she would be allowing companies all that they wanted to be allowed. Luckily I was wrong.

If all politicians had at least 10% of her common sense, the world would not be in the shit hole we are now.