Slashdot Mirror
Belgian Rightsholders Group Wants To Charge Libraries For Reading Books To Kids
New submitter BSAtHome writes "People with a healthy interest in fundamental freedoms and basic human rights have probably heard about SABAM, the Belgian collecting society for music royalties, which has become one of the global poster children for how outrageously out-of-touch-with-reality certain rightsholders groups appear to be. This morning, word got out in Belgian media that SABAM is spending time and resources to contact local libraries across the nation, warning them that they will start charging fees because the libraries engage volunteers to read books to kids. Volunteers. Who – again – read books to kids."
And the kids should be charged with laziness. I mean, really, can't they read the books by themselves ? A generation of slackers, I call it.
me shudders in a lovecraftian kinda way
Unfortunately, now no one can sing that without violating your copyright. Oh, I see what you're trying to do. Get everyone to start singing your "Words" in place of the original, then, once everyone is used to singing it that way, you swoop in with your lawyers and begin collecting royalties. Sweet!
Step 1: Provide alternative lyrics for copyrighted Birthday song
Step 2: Tell people on Slashdot they should sing those lyrics instead
Step 3: Watch as the ever-so-influential Slashdotters spread the tradition far-and-wide in no time at all
Step 4: Lawyer Up
Step 5: Profit!