European Court Finds Copyright Doesn't Automatically Trump Freedom Of Expression

First time accepted submitter admiral snackbar writes "The European Court of Human Rights has declared that the copyright monopoly stands in direct conflict with fundamental Human Rights, as defined in the European Union and elsewhere. 'For the first time in a judgment on the merits, the European Court of Human Rights has clarified that a conviction based on copyright law for illegally reproducing or publicly communicating copyright protected material can be regarded as an interference with the right of freedom of expression and information under Article 10 of the European Convention [on Human Rights]. Such interference must be in accordance with the three conditions enshrined in the second paragraph of Article 10 of the Convention. This means that a conviction or any other judicial decision based on copyright law, restricting a person's or an organization's freedom of expression, must be pertinently motivated as being necessary in a democratic society, apart from being prescribed by law and pursuing a legitimate aim.'"

Comments

Re:Take a look at that statue of liberty.

[flyneye]

I think I'd look into Thomas Jeffersons role and philosophy, with it's roots, before I gave the French much credit for either. The Age of Enlightenment had more to do with it.
However, my view of Europe as a whole, just brightened manyfold candlepower. Now if we could just get Comrade Obama on the same page here in the U.S.S.A.

Re:Land of the free

[hawkinspeter]

I was hoping someone would pick up on this. I live in the UK, but I'm vegetarian, so I get to laugh and point at all my friends who delight in eating mystery meat. Personally, I don't see much difference between horse and cow; why eat one and not the other?