Canadians!
It's time to see if democracy works.
If you have not been following the news, everyone's favourite Conservative party is trying to pass new copyright legislation that is, in a word, bullshit.
Key Points:
Legislation prohibits hacking digital locks placed on materials designed to prevent illegal distribution
Format Shifting:
Bill will let you copy "legally acquired" music, books newspapers or photos onto computers, handheld devices, or cell phones. But you'd be limited to one copy per device, you couldn't give away copies nor make copies of materials you've borrowed or rented. The changes make it illegal to copy a compact disc or DVD to a personal digital device such as an iPod -- even if the consumer already paid for the CD or DVD -- if it involves breaking a so-called digital lock to make the copy.
Your iPod:
You wouldn't be able to sell, rent or give away an iPod or similar device without deleting ALL music originally copied by you on it for private purposes
Posting Online:
It would be illegal to post a copyright work -- song, film, video, photo, or software on the internet without the copyright owner's permission. This includes posting to Facebook or Youtube.
Distortion:
It would be illegal to distort or manipulate a copyright performance -- theatre, live music or dance, -- or to associate a product with it without the performer's authorization.
ISP's:
Internet service providers would be compelled to notify subscribers accused of infringing copyright laws by uploading copyright works to the Internet.
Penalites:
Copyright holders could seek through the courts only a $500 penalty for private use infringement by others,. The penalty could rise to $20 000 if a consumer hacked a digital lock to make an illegal copy.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-10784_3-9967118-7.html
Note, under this law....
Breaking any form of encryption is illegal. That includes ripping onto your computer a legally purchased CD.
You cannot rip Cd's to your hard drive, you cannot rip cd's to your iPod, you can not make backups of said CD's, DVD's, etc.
There is mention of allowing you to only keep a non encrypted rip on your iPod/computer for a short period of time, IE 24 hours or less. Mainly to prevent people from having a library saved.
There is a 500 dollar fine for downloading copyrighted material and the law is so broad were talking temporary internet folder here could be grounds for a fine.
20,000 Dollar fine for uploading copyrighted material.
Making it illegal to opening up your phone.
Making it so at a broadcasters request it impossible to use your PVR or TIVO because they will put an encryption on it.
This is serious, and opens up the ability for Big Business in the States to sue Canadian Citizens.
The Minister of Industry was on CBC radio yesterday, and he was asked straight out, Is ripping a CD onto your hard drive going to be illigal.
His exact response was "yes".
This is not just about pirating music, this is an attempt to fundamentally change the way Canadians interact with digital media, both legal and illegal. It's bullshit, and it needs to be stopped.
Please, please, email your MP and tell them this is not right. We don't want Harper to turn us into the US.
I will make this very easy for you.
Find your MP: http://www2.parl.gc.ca/Parlinfo/Compilations/HouseOfCommons/MemberByPostalCode.aspx?Menu=HOC
You can compose your own letter, or use this one:
Dear {Insert MP Name Here},
I am writing to you in relation to the recently tabled copyright legislation brought before parliament by Jim Prentice and Joseé Vernier. I am interested to know your position on this piece of legislation.
To clarify my position: I do not believe that this bill is in the best interest of Canadians. The restrictions (particularly those involving the ability to remove digital encryption) will hamper my rights to legally enjoy content that I have purchased. Many portions of this bill are unenforceable in relation to current privacy standards and I fear that the attempted enforcement of this law will erode the right to privacy of many Canadians across the country.
This bill makes unreasonable demands on internet service providers, it restricts the rights of Canadians who wish to enjoy their media the way that they see fit and it does not have the support of the very artists that it proposes to protect (please see musiccreators.ca).
This legislation violates the campaign promise of the Harper government to establish hearings into any issues related to the ratification of international treaties. It is a hastily constructed piece of legislation and it, in my opinion, should not be supported.
To be completely clear: if you vote for this legislation, you have lost my vote and my confidence in you as my MP.
Please do the right thing and vote no to bill C-61.
Thank you,
{Your Name Here}
Tell them that it is a binary situation. If they vote yes on this bill, you will not vote for them in the next election. It's that simple.
This will only take you a couple of minutes to do, but the more letters we send, the better chance we have.
Feel free to copy and paste this into your own journals too, to reach people I don't have on my flist.
If you have not been following the news, everyone's favourite Conservative party is trying to pass new copyright legislation that is, in a word, bullshit.
Key Points:
Legislation prohibits hacking digital locks placed on materials designed to prevent illegal distribution
Format Shifting:
Bill will let you copy "legally acquired" music, books newspapers or photos onto computers, handheld devices, or cell phones. But you'd be limited to one copy per device, you couldn't give away copies nor make copies of materials you've borrowed or rented. The changes make it illegal to copy a compact disc or DVD to a personal digital device such as an iPod -- even if the consumer already paid for the CD or DVD -- if it involves breaking a so-called digital lock to make the copy.
Your iPod:
You wouldn't be able to sell, rent or give away an iPod or similar device without deleting ALL music originally copied by you on it for private purposes
Posting Online:
It would be illegal to post a copyright work -- song, film, video, photo, or software on the internet without the copyright owner's permission. This includes posting to Facebook or Youtube.
Distortion:
It would be illegal to distort or manipulate a copyright performance -- theatre, live music or dance, -- or to associate a product with it without the performer's authorization.
ISP's:
Internet service providers would be compelled to notify subscribers accused of infringing copyright laws by uploading copyright works to the Internet.
Penalites:
Copyright holders could seek through the courts only a $500 penalty for private use infringement by others,. The penalty could rise to $20 000 if a consumer hacked a digital lock to make an illegal copy.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-10784_3-9967118-7.html
Note, under this law....
Breaking any form of encryption is illegal. That includes ripping onto your computer a legally purchased CD.
You cannot rip Cd's to your hard drive, you cannot rip cd's to your iPod, you can not make backups of said CD's, DVD's, etc.
There is mention of allowing you to only keep a non encrypted rip on your iPod/computer for a short period of time, IE 24 hours or less. Mainly to prevent people from having a library saved.
There is a 500 dollar fine for downloading copyrighted material and the law is so broad were talking temporary internet folder here could be grounds for a fine.
20,000 Dollar fine for uploading copyrighted material.
Making it illegal to opening up your phone.
Making it so at a broadcasters request it impossible to use your PVR or TIVO because they will put an encryption on it.
This is serious, and opens up the ability for Big Business in the States to sue Canadian Citizens.
The Minister of Industry was on CBC radio yesterday, and he was asked straight out, Is ripping a CD onto your hard drive going to be illigal.
His exact response was "yes".
This is not just about pirating music, this is an attempt to fundamentally change the way Canadians interact with digital media, both legal and illegal. It's bullshit, and it needs to be stopped.
Please, please, email your MP and tell them this is not right. We don't want Harper to turn us into the US.
I will make this very easy for you.
Find your MP: http://www2.parl.gc.ca/Parlinfo/Compilations/HouseOfCommons/MemberByPostalCode.aspx?Menu=HOC
You can compose your own letter, or use this one:
Dear {Insert MP Name Here},
I am writing to you in relation to the recently tabled copyright legislation brought before parliament by Jim Prentice and Joseé Vernier. I am interested to know your position on this piece of legislation.
To clarify my position: I do not believe that this bill is in the best interest of Canadians. The restrictions (particularly those involving the ability to remove digital encryption) will hamper my rights to legally enjoy content that I have purchased. Many portions of this bill are unenforceable in relation to current privacy standards and I fear that the attempted enforcement of this law will erode the right to privacy of many Canadians across the country.
This bill makes unreasonable demands on internet service providers, it restricts the rights of Canadians who wish to enjoy their media the way that they see fit and it does not have the support of the very artists that it proposes to protect (please see musiccreators.ca).
This legislation violates the campaign promise of the Harper government to establish hearings into any issues related to the ratification of international treaties. It is a hastily constructed piece of legislation and it, in my opinion, should not be supported.
To be completely clear: if you vote for this legislation, you have lost my vote and my confidence in you as my MP.
Please do the right thing and vote no to bill C-61.
Thank you,
{Your Name Here}
Tell them that it is a binary situation. If they vote yes on this bill, you will not vote for them in the next election. It's that simple.
This will only take you a couple of minutes to do, but the more letters we send, the better chance we have.
Feel free to copy and paste this into your own journals too, to reach people I don't have on my flist.