Questions and answers: part something.

[markf]

So I thought I'd go ahead and take a stab at some of the questions everyone submitted. I think I'm as interested in reading what people have questions about as all of you are about seeing them answered. ;)

Comments

[wee_little_me]

why doesn't livejournal allow us to post our own ads on our blogs

Your answer to this question, is it lacking in any way? Specifically an agreement with the people currently giving you money to advertize on lj?

Are there any plans to change the Terms of Service by which we abide in the coming year? If not, can you give a commitment that they will not change?

Can you elaborat on past changes made due to law changes or otherwise?

We don't enforce rules set outside of the U.S. since they don't apply to LiveJournal itself; it's the user's responsibility to comply with the laws of the country they are in. There are currently no plans to change this.

Hypathetically speeaking, a Canadian could then post pirated music in the blog? Or is there another loophole preventing this?

[xb95]

1) Our agreements with ad providers do not limit what users can do. That is our policy and has been for quite some time.

3) LiveJournal is subject to the laws of the United States, state of California. Pirating is illegal here. If someone files a proper DMCA we are required to take action on it, regardless of the user's country of residence.

[schnee]

Pirating is illegal here.

Arrrr, be that so, matey? Seriously, the correct term is "copyright infringement"; "piracy" has become widespread, but it's still a propaganda term that shouldn't be used. :)

(Yeah, I know... I'm picking nits. But it's something that bugs me whenever I see it. ^^)

[burr86]

Ha ha, "picking nits", "bugs" you? *grin* ;)

[schnee]

*chuckles* It does, when others do it. ^_~

[wee_little_me]

Well, technically, 'copyright infrigement' is perfectly legal in Canada (with music any way). So I ask again: Hypathetically speeaking, a Canadian could then post pirated music in the blog? Or is there another loophole preventing this?

[xb95]

I answered this above with regards to LiveJournal.

[schnee]

IANAL (I am not a lawyer), but I'd guess that assuming it *is* legal in Canada, you could do it without having to worry about legal repercussions, but LJ (which is not governed by Canadian law) would still have to remove it if asked to do so.

[qfemale]

You do mean hypothetically, right?

[wee_little_me]

Yes.

[xb95]

http://www.answers.com/piracy&r=67 defines "piracy":

2. The unauthorized use or reproduction of copyrighted or patented material: software piracy.

The correct term is whatever people are using. Language is fluid. Self-proclaimed web sites that enable this behavior call themselves things such as "The Pirate Bay". It's used by the industry, the media, and the users.

I don't see the problem.

[schnee]

"The Pirate Bay" is just using the language used against them to take the sting out of it and to show people that in their opinion, there's nothing wrong with what they're doing - kind of like LGBT people calling each other "queers" or black people using words like "nigger". :P

And yes, language is fluid, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't try to use neutral terms - the fact that everyone else in Possum Trot, Arkansas calls homosexuals "fags" doesn't mean it's OK if we do it, too.

I think it's better to just stick with "copyright infringement" and leave it at that - it's the correct term, and it's neutral. :)

[xb95]

I think it's wrong and that it's piracy. I think that's the proper term, because yes, I am applying a value judgement. :)

[schnee]

OK. :)

(Myself, I think it's wrong, but I think that "piracy" is sailing the seven seas, sinking ships, taking the cargo and killing the crew, which arguably is a much more severe crime than copying the latest Britney Spears mp3, so calling the latter "piracy" makes it sound much worse than it actually is.)

[leora]

I dunno... copying bad music... spreading bad music further...

Hmm... well, yeah, okay, I guess killing people is worse. But it's worth thinking about.

[schnee]

OK, maybe Britney Spears was a bad example... :)