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Fair Use Threatens Innovation, Copyright Holders Warn (torrentfreak.com)

Posted by msmash on from the defining-innovation dept.

An anonymous reader shares a TorrentFreak report: Various music and movie industry groups have warned that fair use exceptions are a threat. The groups were responding to proposals put forward in Australia by the Government's Productivity Commission. They claim that content creators will be severely disadvantaged if fair use is introduced Down Under . Several rightsholder groups argue that strong copyright protections are essential for the survival of their businesses. This includes a long copyright term of 70 years, as well as the ability to block access to content based on the location of a consumer. In addition, many believe that fair use exceptions will do more harm than good. For example, music group IFPI warns that fair use will threaten innovation and create legal uncertainty. "Licensing, not exceptions to copyright, drives innovation. Innovation is best achieved through licensing agreements between content owners and users, including technological innovators," IFPI writes.

4 of 148 comments (clear)

  1. Full of Shit by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    They're so full of it. What about licensing brings about innovation? Are they claiming people will only make new things if there's money to be had? I thought we debunked that myth a long time ago. Money is not the only motivating factor of innovation. I'd say it's the least important one, in fact; many people pursue what they do because they enjoy it and/or believe in it. The money's a damn nice bonus, but ultimately the goal of innovation is to improve the work/art in the field. If laws are passed that allow people to borrow ideas and combine them in ways people didn't anticipate, that's the very definition of innovation. Nothing is created in a vacuum, and holding exclusive rights to something for X amount of time only prevents innovation, *not* foster it.

    They're a bunch of artless, lying suits, as we've all come to expect from the recording industry.

    1. Re:Full of Shit by Zontar+The+Mindless · · Score: 5, Insightful

      You must understand that these are people who define "innovation" as "new way for me to charge more rent on the same old stuff".

      --
      Il n'y a pas de Planet B.
  2. Oh fuck off by ilsaloving · · Score: 5, Insightful

    There are plenty of business that survive just fine without freeloading on content that was produced almost a century ago. If you are unable to do that, that's a problem with your business and you *deserve* to go under. In fact, we wish you would so that better businesses can be built upon your stinking rotting corpse.

    Sincerely,
    Everyone.

  3. Re: Fair Use Threatens Innovation, Copyright Holde by friesofdoom · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Literally the EXACT OPPOSITE of everything in this story is true. These "rights holders" can go fuck themselves after they finish spinning this story.