J’accuse! J’accuse! J’accuse!
p2pnet news view Politics | Freedom | P2P:- “I see this very related to Canadian Telecom and what some consumer groups had to say,” says a p2pnet Reader’s Write to a post which started:
“Scambioetico is the Italian movement for the decriminalization of P2P and the defense of net neutrality, a part of the European Coalition Opennet, and REFF, explains Scambioetico press officer Gianfranco in an email to a2f2a.com co-founder Billy Bragg.
“Under REFF, “artists, writers, musicians, designers, architects and creatives can submit their works, as long as they are created by remixing, mashing up, cutting-up, recontextualizing, squatting, morphing one or more ‘objects’ that are subject to copyright/patent restrictions,” says the site, noting in bold type:
“Yes, to join REFF you need to break the law!”
“Interesting article,” said the comment post. “Gives me idea’s.”
Among other things, Gianfranco refers to the bizarre corporate entertainment industry Three Strikes law various weak-kneed governments are trying to impose on their citizens on behalf of Hollywood and the major record labels.
Asks Crosbie Fitch another Reader’s Write:
“Incidentally, how rapidly are these three balls thrown at the poor batsman?
“Given they’re accusations they don’t need time to collect any evidence, so as with Dorothy saying ‘There’s no place like home’, all the cartel need to say is ‘J’accuse! J’accuse! J’accuse!’ and voom! ‘No Internet for you, sucker! And what’s more, given you’re now indicted for IP theft we can confiscate your file-sharing equipment and seize your assets. Hah!’
“Or is there a minimum 6 month grace period between accusations?”
On dslreports, Interesting also saw the post, and had this to say »»»
The Europeans are trying something in regards to the defending of neutrality, “open access” and the terrible 3-strikes they just passed in european parliament (like Frances 3-strike law). Re-mixing has always been around (regardless of the media medium).
It appears the Italian movement of Neutrality (who are also the Italian movement of Free Culture) and the European coalition of “OpenNet” created (or are involved with) a website called REFF.
REFF States:
REFF is an international competition in which artists, writers, musicians, designers, architects and creatives can submit their works, as long as they are created by remixing, mashing up, cutting-up, recontextualizing, squatting, morphing one or more “objects” that are subject to copyright/patent restrictions.
Yes, to join REFF you need to break the law!
Well, not really. What we ask people joining REFF is to experiment with the laws on patents and intellectual property, and to expose their paradoxes, errors, useless limitations, producing beautiful productions, things that can enrich our existence, our knowledge of the world and of its cultures, by remixing, disassembling, reassembling, connecting things that someone else created.
Keep in mind that in Europe and in France, 3-strikes and you are out. Disconnected from the net (applicable to the wholesalers there as well).
This may or may not be coming our way eventually (ACTA & Copyright reform), so they seem to be pushing the buck to show the errors in current law in regards to Remixing. Something people have done since before the age of the internet.
Is it applicable to Canadians? Sure is.
Some of the Consumer Groups have been fighting with the CRTC to make internet a RIGHT in Canada (like Finland). More specifically, the Quebec Consumers Union has called for this in previous filings with the CRTC and bringing up Charter Rights.
This is also going to be the next fight with the CRTC about making internet an essential service.
But if it’s a “right”, if it’s an “essential service”, and if something as simple and as fundamentally cultural related like “Re-Mixing” (morphing of photo’s is included in that) is enough to get you kicked off due to copyright, Then there is a problem. This is what REFF appears to be saying.
Very interesting stance they are taking here, and worth taking a look at (for those of you interested in internet being essential or a right, and how the criminalization of P2P type apps is taking place in the EU (similar to Canada but not as bad here.. yet)).
This new coalition states:
“We strongly believe in the creativity of the people, as we know that the Network has given us a unique opportunity to develop and express ourselves. Do not let the social and cultural emancipation be held hostages by profit, become an active part and show that we want to be leaders of our future.
“I personally think this is something Canadians should be doing as well (or taking part in) to shake things up a bit,” Interesting adds
As a side-note, J’accuse (”I accuse”) was an open letter published on January 13, 1898, in L’Aurore by famous writer Émile Zola.
“The letter was addressed to President of France Félix Faure, and accused the government of anti-Semitism and the unlawful jailing of Alfred Dreyfus, a French General Staff officer sentenced to penal servitude for life for espionage,” says the Wikipedia, from whence came the pic on the upper right, going on:
“Zola pointed out judicial errors and lack of serious evidence. The letter was printed on the front page of the newspaper, and caused a stir in France and abroad. Zola was prosecuted and found guilty of libel on 23 February 1898. To avoid imprisonment, he fled to England, returning home in June 1899.
“Other pamphlets proclaiming Dreyfus’s innocence include Bernard Lazare’s A Miscarriage of Justice: The Truth about the Dreyfus Affair (November 1896).
“As a result of the popularity of the letter, even in the English-speaking world, J’accuse! has become a common generic expression of outrage and accusation against a powerful person.”
Stay tuned.
First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win ~ Mahatma Gandhi
weak-kneed governments – Germany says ‘No!’ to 3 strikes law, October 28, 2009
dslreports – EU 3-strikes and Inet as a Right, October 30, 2009
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October 31st, 2009 at 9:11 pm
“Batsmen”? So far as I can determine, the concept of three strikes is a reference to baseball, not cricket.