$1 million copying levy fine
p2p news / p2pnet: A federal court judge has fined Vortek Systems, a Montreal-based electronics retailer, nearly one million dollars for failing to pay the private copying levy.
The company was ordered to turn over the unpaid levy amounts ($1.65 million plus interest) along with a penalty of just over $900,000. Vortek denied that it was selling blank CDs.
Make no mistake – along with its distortion on the market, the levy’s "pennies" (as derided by CRIA – Canadian Recording Industry Association) has become big money for the industry which it will fight hard to preserve.
Michael Geist
[Geist is the Canada Research Chair in Internet and E-commerce Law at the University of Ottawa. He can be reached by email at mgeist[at]uottawa.ca and is on-line at www.michaelgeist.ca.]
