One of today's articles in the National Post seems to argue that imposing fines on Internet users who illegally download copyright material are objectionable and harmful. I think the far more objectionable attitude is that taken by these critics who seem to feel that blatant theft is not only harmless, but ought not to be criminalized.
The article argues: "Critics have said the [similar] U.S. copyright bill is ineffective in enforcing infringement and sends the wrong message to consumers." Actually, I think it sends the 100% right message: that theft is wrong, incredibly serious, and has real and harsh consequences.
Some of these left-wing activists seem to believe that there should be no consequences for depriving artists and producers of income that they should expect to earn (and maybe if they were getting all of the income they deserved, they would feel less entitled to Canadian taxpayers' money in the form of subsidies and tax credits...). The act remains that copyright material is a good produced by an individual and/or company which they expect to sell for a profit. They do not do so for nothing so that consumers can steal and distribute their work free of charge.
We need to strike back at this outrageous culture of entitlement where theft is not wrong. Theft is a crime, a very serious crime, and it's time that Canada stood up to send this message to thieves and their advocacy groups.
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6 comments:
Theft is wrong.
Legislation of peer-to-peer networks is retarded.
Why? Because it's unenforceable. Companies should be able to protect their IP anyway they see fit. They should be able to bring down criminal charges on those who profit from selling their works.
The issue here is that no-one is profiting.
The way this is written, unwitting computer users will be fined for using software that shares files without their knowledge.
Will all Bittorrent activity be prohibited? Sharing what types of files constitutes theft?
I agree with you that theft is wrong. I purchase software and don't pirate it, even though I've cracked legitimate copies of software so as not to be hassled by protection.
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This problem needs to be solved by the FREE MARKET.
It was created by companies and organizations willing to treat their customers like criminals, and creating a product that appeals the theives.
When you create something for theives, should you be surprised that it gets stolen and then ask for legislative protection?
Do you see the true folly in this yet?
It's an affront to the free market.
If people were actually selling torrents, then there would be a clear case of illegal activity.
Copying is not wrong.
William says...
I first bought Lynyrd Skynyrds Second Helping album in the mid seventies, as well as an eight track tape for the car.
Then a few years later I replaced the 8 track with a cassette player, rebuying that Lynyrd Skynyrd album as a cassette.
Later again I bought my first cassette home recorder, and started making my own tapes.
A few more years and I went through it all again with the new CD format.
My point is, when I download something from the internet for MYSELF, NOT to make money, I feel I've broken NO laws as I own what I'm downloading....
I've bought and paid for every song I've ever downloaded..2 to 5 times already, in many past
formats, and I will not pay again for something I already own.
It's not my fault that the only way to aquire my property is to allow others to share my connection through Bitlord, whatever I download...others are as well. I don't upload music, nor do I share all the music I have.
If the powers that be really wanted to solve this problem they would limit copyrights to 25 years and no more...
I'm sick of having to buy the same product over and over and over again with every new format.
Back in the fifties I used to record music from the radio on my dad's reel-to-reel tape recorder. Never a word was said.
In the seventies and eighties you could buy a casette deck with a dubbing recorder built in. You could then pick up the tape at the library and copy to your heart's content. Never a word was said.
Now, in the era of overpriced artists would need much more money to pay for their stints in rehab or to pay their court costs it is an issue.
However, since this idiocy will surely be enacted, I wonder if the government will drop the tax that Shiela Copps added to every blank CD and DVD sold in this country? Remember...the tax that was supposed to go into a fund to pay royalties for intellectual properties.
I wouldn't hold my breath waiting!
This CPC proposed legislation is political suicide.
So far PMSH has been fairly astute about picking his battles and where he wanted to leave an impact.
Moral issues aside, this is a stupid place to pick a fight. A generation of young Canadians who have grown up with Internet freedom will forever associate the CPC with this disastrous legislation.
As a CPC supporter, longstanding member, and frequent donor, I think this is the stupidest piece of policy I have seen from the party since they took power.
Wake up! And put this suicidal legislation away. Why is the CPC suddenly promoting government intervention and intrusive new laws, when this party should be in the business of dismantling just that type of legislation.
NO to the gun registry!
YES to the Internet registry?
WTF?
This idea smacks of lobbyists for rich media companies, not of sensible politicians who listen to their voters.
Lori
One other point... what you call the "culture of entitlement", millions of young Canadians call "the new normal".
The world changed with the Internet. Yes, intellectual and property rights became much harder to enforce. But I would argue that far more artists benefited from easier exposure of their work and ideas than were harmed by it.
You lose some, you win some, and we can debate morality. But, aggressive download-by-download legislation of the Internet is something that only people who lived most of their lives in the pre-Internet era, and who don't really get the Internet, can endorse fully. In other words, dinosaurs support the CPC's position. Way to grow the party into the future.
Lori
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