New Zealanders: Not In My Name
p2pnet news view Freedom | P2P:- Vivendi Universal, EMI, Warner Music and Sony BMG’s RIAA is, “set to drop its legal assault as it searches for more effective ways to combat online music piracy,” I quote the Wall Street Journal as saying in my P2P Minnows and RIAA Sharks post.
The WSJ goes on, “The decision represents an abrupt shift of strategy for the industry, which has opened legal proceedings against about 35,000 people since 2003.”
“Critics” say the, “legal offensive ultimately did little to stem the tide of illegally downloaded music,” says the story, “And it created a public-relations disaster for the industry, whose lawsuits targeted, among others, several single mothers, a dead person and a 13-year-old girl. Instead, the Recording Industry Association of America said it plans to try an approach that relies on the cooperation of Internet-service providers. The trade group said it has hashed out preliminary agreements with major ISPs under which it will send an email to the provider when it finds a provider’s customers making music available online for others to take.”
But this latest, and totally false, we won’t sue ‘em all move is, as we’ve often pointed out, just another component of the Big 4 international campaign to bend online music lovers to their wills, and gain exclusive control of who does what, and how they do it, online.
Over in New Zealand, “Section 92 of the Copyright Amendment Act. S92 assumes ‘Guilt Upon Accusation’ – cutting off internet connections and websites based on accusations of Copyright infringement, without evidence or even a trial,” says Not In My Name (NIMN), a movement founded to defeat the section.
Isn’t that exactly what the Big 4 want to do in America?
And Britain.
And France?
And everywhere?
“As the natural world meets the digital opportunities are opening up for artists to connect with new audiences across the world,” says NIMN, going on »»»
However, with the digitisation of media the lines between use and copy have become blurred. Laws regulating the act of copying have failed to keep pace with technology and soon ISPs will be forced to take down internet connections and websites of anyone accused (not convicted) of copyright infringement. Copyright law is now having the effect of limiting artists, restricting businesses, and harming public rights. The Creative Freedom Foundation speaks for artists concerned at this trend and through Our Goals we seek to bring Copyright Law into the 21st Century.
And not at all by coincidence, ACTA rears its ugly head.
“The Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) may force Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to reveal your private information if you are accused of copyright infringement,” says the group. “This is comparable to forcing Telecom to reveal information on who you talk to based on nothing more than an accusation, without a warrant and without court approval or oversight. This is an unprecedented breach of privacy and due-process and it’s being proposed in the name of protecting artists.”
In a nutshell, “Our Goal: No Guilt Upon Accusation Law,” says Not In My Name.
“Our Goal: DRM Free New Zealand.
“Our Goal: No Companies Snooping on Your Internet.”
If you’re in New Zealand, click here to sign the petition to make sure Vivendi Universal (France), Sony BMG (Japan and Germany), EMI (Britain), and Warner Music (US, but controlled by a Canadian) don’t get to pillory new Zealanders.
Jon Newton – p2pnet
Use free p2pnet newsfeeds for your site. It’s really easy!
Subscribe to p2pnet.net | | rss feed: http://p2pnet.net/p2p.rss | | Mobile – http://p2pnet.net/index-wml.php
Net access blocked by government restrictions? Use Psiphon from the Citizen Lab at the University of Toronto. Go here for details.
