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Canada Creates Cap On Liability For File Sharing Lawsuits

Posted by Unknown on from the mpaa-ground-troops-reported-in-toronto dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Over the past couple of days, there have been reports about the return of file sharing lawsuits to Canada, with fears that thousands of Canadians could be targeted. While it is possible that many will receive demand letters, Michael Geist has posted a detailed primer on liability in Canada that notes that recent changes to Canadian copyright law limit liability in non-commercial cases to a maximum of $5,000 for all infringement claims. In fact, it is likely that a court would award far less — perhaps as little as $100 — if the case went to court as even the government's FAQ on the recent copyright reform bill provided assurances that Canadians 'will not face disproportionate penalties for minor infringements of copyright by distinguishing between commercial and non-commercial infringement.'"

8 of 208 comments (clear)

  1. First global warming now this... by erroneus · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Yet another reason to consider moving to Canada...

    1. Re:First global warming now this... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Dude man, if you can get Harper the fuck out of here, there will suddenly be more common sense than we know what to do with, and we'll ship over everything we can. But first things first, you're gonna have to get rid of Harper... how you do it is your problem, but I'm strongly of the 'don't ask, don't tell' type, if he were to suddenly go missing.

    2. Re:First global warming now this... by swillden · · Score: 3, Insightful

      get proper universal health care (instead of that bizarre bastardized system known as Obamacare, something only an American government could come up with)

      We should adopt the core tenet of the Canadian health care system immediately: The federal government should get out and leave it up to the states, just as the Canadian provinces each run their own system. This would remove all of the opposition from the conservative states immediately. The "blue" states could then move forward unimpeded. Whether Canadian history would repeat, with the conservative states eventually joining as well, just as the more conservative Canadian provinces eventually did, remains to be seen.

      --
      Note to ACs: I usually delete AC replies without reading them. If you want to talk to me, log in.
  2. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  3. Geist for... by Ashenkase · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Prime Minister

  4. Seems sensible to me... by erp_consultant · · Score: 3, Insightful

    There has to be something in place to prevent people from outright stealing of music and movies. Artists deserve to be compensated for their work. But this American notion of massive awards to greedy Hollywood studios has got to stop. Is it really fair to bankrupt people because they shared some songs? I never stole any songs but I am so disgusted with the whole thing that I have basically stopped buying music all together. It's mostly internet radio for me these days. I won't give those greedy bastards a nickel.

  5. Re:Reasonable Provisions? by Opportunist · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Well, DUH!

    If there's nobody to bribe politicians, they will do what gets them votes, after all, then this is their main income. They are just like any whores, they follow the money.

    --
    We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  6. Re:Reasonable Provisions? by Maury+Markowitz · · Score: 3, Insightful

    "If there's nobody to bribe politicians"

    Or more simply, implement a completely transparent registry of all lobbyists, who they *really* represent, and all their meetings:

    https://ocl-cal.gc.ca/eic/site/012.nsf/eng/home

    Go ahead and try to bribe, or strong-arm. Someone *will* notice. There's people who's only job is to watch the list and report on it.