Copyright or copywrong: where do you stand?
The record labels, movie studios and ACTRA want Canadian copyright laws reformed. Internet legal experts, musicians and bloggers say the proposed changes are flawed. The showdown has only just begun.
In the last 10 days or so, we’ve seen a media frenzy over changes to the Copyright Act that may soon be tabled in the House of Commons by Industry Minister, Jim Prentice.
The changes were supposed to be presented on Tuesday, December 11th, but were delayed at the last minute by Prentice.
It’s quite possible that this delay was a response to heated criticism of the legislation, which was expressed most publicly at an Open House in the minister’s own riding last Saturday. A Facebook group, which had been organized by University of Ottawa’s Canada Research Chair of Internet and E-commerce Law, Michael Geist, sent representatives to protest the changes in person.
This delay isn’t sitting well with ACTRA, the union that represents professional English-language performers in Canada. They claim that opposition to the copyright changes is coming from a "vocal minority".
However, given that the changes in question may well turn everyday consumer behaviours into illegal acts such as recording using a PVR, copying music from a CD to an iPod, or making backup copies of software or movies, it’s likely that this "minority" may soon find millions of new supporters.
Although Prentice says it is inappropriate to judge a change to legislation before it is made public, Geist isn’t waiting to see the official text before weighing in. He feels that the government has "dropped considerable hints" in the past as to what the changes contain and is convinced that there hasn’t been sufficient public consultation on the matter.
So where do you stand on these possible changes to Canada’s copyright laws? Will you wait until the amendments have been tabled to judge them, or have you already made up your mind? Is ACTRA correct that opponents are in the minority? Let the showdown begin…
Update, Thur. Dec 13: Prentice has decided to delay tabling the changes until after parliament returns from their holiday break. Read more.
Excitable 
When I purchase a Music CD or DVD I should have the right to copy it once to have a backup copy and be able to put it on an MP3 player without becoming a criminal!
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Seems to me if there is a minority involved it would be "ACTRA".
When is this insanity going to end!
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Absolutely I should be able to make a back up copy, or create my own compilation of purchased materials, for my own use. Obviously, distribution of such compilations to make an illegal profit is piracy, and I can appreciate the threat in such things. However, with so many having access, 'pirated mix tapes' aren't exactly a hot commodity in this age, so that's not much of a real threat.
I enjoy my materials in a variety of formats including vinyl, CD, nd medias such as mp3, where their specfic applications apply. I like to purchase a hard copy with liner notes that gets used in my home theatre, vehicle , etc. However, my ipod is much more practical at the gym or going for a run, etc. Expecting me to pay for use of those purchased materials in different formats is ludacris, and a form of extortion.
As a consumer, we have little control over the constant barrage of advertising in EVERY SINGLE MEDIUM and format possible, which generates huge revenues for massive corporations, some or many of which tied in or controlled by these major labels that feel they are at a loss. Everywhere you look, there are ads in some form feeding us the latest and greatest in products and services.
Our rights as consumers are being violated so that major corporations can maximize their profits. If they're not making it on the front end, they're picking it up on the back end. That said, this constant foul cry is a way to try and extort more of many people's limited expendable income.
I'm sure it does not cost the Apple corporation near $230 to produce each ipod, which they sell millions of, even considered as a net figure after development, production, shipping, ADVERTISING, retailers points, etc. How many of those do they sell? Let's not forget distribution of music on itunes for $.99 a song. A relatively high profit service, as all that is being distributed is electronic information. Artists receive a relatively small portion of these proceeds, so the rest being left for distribution. Billions of dollars here. And we're being expected to pay for it twice?
This is another display of capitalism in it's finest hour. We offer major corporations too much control in this age of information, and as tax paying citizens, we should have more say in how our laws are created and modified. Sorry for the long-winded response.
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Darren is absolutely right. This is getting ridiculous. I own hundreds of CD's and DVD's and make copies for the car or mixed compilations. Actually on occasion I will make a copy for a friend which can end up making them go out and buy the CD. It's nice to have the original with all the liner notes etc. and frankly copies do not sound as good as originals. If anyone is an Audiophile or Videophile knows what I am talking about. If this stupidity keeps up or actually becomes law I will sell all my equipment off and not buy any new media-what would be the point!!! Enough is enough and I think consumers are getting sick of it; We need more blogs like this to make people aware of what's going on…
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If they do pass the new copyright laws, I hope they force all of the retailers to display BIG signs stating that if their customers use the vcr's, dvd recorders, and TIVO's they sell to record or time shift the programs, that they become criminals….. And another thing, they had better get rid of the ^##% levy on blank media like cdr's, dvdr's and such………..
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How can I tell where to stand its hard to comment on proposed changes unless I've seen the proposal. I suspect if ACTRA are keen on it then its not really that exciting a proposal for consumers but right now its hard to tell.
Given that nobody seems to be able to say what the proposals are it seems clear the level of public consultation is minimal. Tell us what is proposed and we'll tell you if we're likely to accept it.
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I do not at all agree that recording (or copying) CD's, etc that I purchase myself to other places (such as my iPod or my computer) for play wherever I happen to be should be made illegal.. That's just ridiculous. I should completely be allowed to make my own compilations, etc etc. HOWEVER, I do of course agree that it isn't right for me to pass out copies of these compilations, etc. I purchase the CD for my own personal use, and that's the way it should stand. (And the comment that it could be illegal to use my PVR is just plain stupid… I thought those types of copyright laws were decided on years ago with VCR's).
At the same time, if the gov't is going to change the copyright laws (because currently in Canada it is not illegal to do certain types of copying because of the 'copy tax' that is levied on blank cd's, cassettes, etc).. they MUST remove those taxes because then they would be taxing for something that is then illegal anyway.. (hope that makes sense :)).
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What a stupid idea this is. First, most artists make most of their money from touring, and it definately doesn't hurt them if I make myself a second copy of their materials. I agree with all of the comments on this page, and that is a great point about the VCR's, CDR, DVDR etc. are these things going to be bannedas well?
Pirating software, movies, I can understand going after these people, but seriously not even 20 years ago, we were recording music straight off the radio, movies from tv, and copying movies we rented at the video stores, whats different now?
The biggest difference is that these organizations have the means to monitor their products better, by invading our privacy, and watching what we do on our computers.
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This is pathetic. We have been paying blank media surcharges for decades now.
This is George Orwell's 1984 and Farenheit 451 all rolled up into one.
I have been copying songs from the radio on my "Ghetto-blaster" since the 80's and enjoy my freedoms to do so. This is just another poorly disguised attempt at profit and restrictions of freedoms.
This pretty much has nothing to do with copyright laws and the protection of them… or even blank media fair-use policy and is more likely someone's greedy little profit scheme.
I used Napster and other programs years ago to locate and acquire rare "bootlegged" audio copies of concerts I was never alive for or could not have ever been there… such as 1977 VAN Halen at "Magic Mountain CA." and 1976 Live Kiss in Detroit and the like… These concerts took place years ago and hold value like a recording of the Prime Minister in 1976 at the Montreal Expo stadium opening the WORLD's Fair. It is a recording of history.
I like my multiple time zones, and recording a TV show I will miss tomorrow because i have to WORK AND PAY TAXES… please do not take this away from me.
I am saddened that the US pressure has finally cracked our political resolve.
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John,
Governments are more than happy to tax an illegal activity. In the US, they charge taxes from illegal gambling houses, or other illicit activities. Al Capone was not brought down because of his criminal activities, but because of tax evasion.
I agree with the other posters that this proposed policy is insane, and it saddens me as a Canadian who enjoys the freedoms we have compared to the US.
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As someone who works in a library the paranoia behind the new copyright laws causes me great concern. The way publishers talk you'd think each and every person who has access to a computer; every person who borrows books, movies and CDs from the library; everyone with friends who buy books, movies and CDs, is just waiting to make (and sell) copies of these books, movies and CDs.
In fact, it's a very small portion of the population that abuses our fair dealing laws; just as it's a small portion that cheat EI or embezzle from their employers.
Having an intellectually and creatively healthy population is far more important than grabbing that last ten cents from some guys pocket.
Lawrence Lessig, a Creative Commons activist for many years, gave a lecture on the importance of relaxed copyright regulations. It has been posted on YouTube in four parts; I've linked to the first part or you can copy/paste the address:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWR6eiiBhf8
On a personal note, I can't tell you how much I resented buying songs from Bonfire and not being able to put them on a CD I could listen to in the car; I couldn't share them with my daughter (who only liked 1 song anyway) and then, when I replaced my computer, I couldn't copy them over to my new hard-drive. I haven't bought anything from Bonfire since.
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How stupid can this be that we would have to pay for copy rights on what we bought orginally just because we might put it on another device we own in our house. We already pay fees for buying a CD / DVD and even the devices.
I'm a criminal becuae I transfer a music track from the CD I bought at the music store or one I downloaded from Apple to my computer so I can play on my Ipod or MP3 player.
When one rravels I'm not about to take a pile of CD's with me.
To assume everybody buys DVD's to record movies when vast majorities of us do so to make data or harddrive backups , to assume we buy flash memories to record other then the devices purpose like pictures of our friends.events/family.
These stars are simply wanting to tax us for more monies when they cannot control us. Did they ever think that we share the music or movie trailer we might buy their book or go to a concert or buy a new cd.
Next time I'm in a plane enjoying some music or a film will a screen pop up asking me to pay a copyrights tax.
I'd tell the minister , leave it alone and earn your monies by doing what the country really needs. Standup and say NO.
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The law should be very simple
When we purchase copyrite material we purchase the right to use it. We do not purchase the right to sell it or to copy it to give to a friend. We should be able to use it on any equipment that we have that will play or display the copyrited material.
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If this nonsence is tabled, vote the idiots out!! Hey, maybe they could buy our ipods off of us since they would be useless.
I had a similar experience as one of the other comments. I bought an album and a few songs from Puretracks. Never heard them though, could never aquire the licence to play them!! I emailed customer service a dozen times with not one reply. Never had that problem with a cd.
Support your faves and buy their cds. DON'T use i-tunes and similar services. You are buying a poor copy of a song which YOU have to burn, save, worry about. With a cd, you just put it back on the shelf for later.
Go see your faves in concert, buy a cd and t-shirt!
As a rather obsessed music buyer/purchaser, I am ready also to stand up and say NO. In fact, if this crap becomes law, my cd buying days will be over. I am not a criminal.
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This is another grab at straws for an industry that did not change with the times I buy a fair amount of movies and I used to buy a lot of music but I have cut back in the past years. The music industry keeps adding content to the cd and jacking the price and lets be serious 25.00 for a cd with maybe 2 songs that you actually want. Don't penalize the consumer be pushing this down our throat, I't won't help. The music companies have to change and adapt, as the independent distributors have some who offer free downloads. I can say I have bought a few cd's from and these artists and yes I have pointed my friends to their sites. The pirates will still be there and the people will be dragged to court and given large fines if this passes but if you think that this will save the music industry you are as wrong as they are. The times they are a changing.
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Typical Canadian government, caving into the Yanks in every form, including this present idiocy. I buy lots of videos and watch them, and keep them for the future. I've got a Sony BlueRay reader/writer on my Sony Vaio Computer, and believe me, will never buy another 'blanking' blueray crudola again. The crap you have to go through, constant updates, just to play new blueray movies, and the dam things still say wrong area code and won't play.
The bull that Sony and London Drugs have put me through since buying this have taught me one thing, Blueray sucks, and who ever sells it. Long live to HD-DVD, and may this format prevail.
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Let me get this straight. If I buy a cd or a dvd I may not allow my wife or kids to play it. They have to buy thier own copy of the media. If I am watching a movie are they not allowed to be in the same room as me. Seems a little far fetched but that is the way that I see it
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If these regulatiions are approved it is going to kill the music business. A lot of us are just going to quit "buying" music if we don't own it once we do and have no control over how we use it for our own pleasure
It will turn me and a lot of others away from the retail purchase of any controlled product be it video or audio if big brother is watching everything we do.
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forget actra. there's at least one group of artists they don't represent: the canadian music creators coalition.
http://www.musiccreators.ca/wp/?p=231#more-231
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What I do in the privacy of my own home, is my business. In a nut shell they have proposed a levy on all recordable devices, memory cards, flash media, cd,dvd, you get the picture. And how, by saying that we "might"…I repeat "might" record something protected….OMG….how did this happen without the public not having a say!!!
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Ever since Sheila Copps introduced a tax on blank media (the Sheila Tax)monies were collected to pay artists as a levy on pirating. Before Sheila Copps left office she admitted that Millions of dollars had been collected through the Sheila Tax but her government officials hadn't distributed any of the money since no mechanism was in place for the "fair" sharing of the funds raised.
Any change in Canada's copyright laws would be a useless as the 'Sheila Tax' and I for one will not support or approve of it.
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What happened to "guilty until proven inocent"? It seems that the recording industry is assuming that everyone is guilty and wants us all to pay up front for crimes we may commit in the future.
As for the idea that my recording (thru any media, VCR, PVR etc) a TV show to watch later is absurd. I have already purchased the rights to that program by paying the Cable or Sat distributor for access. Lets wsee the proposed legislation and since it may effect every citizen, hold a referendum on it.
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Get involved, everyone. Write your MPs, the Minister, and anyone else who can have influence in stopping this legislation. Inform others of the issues and get them involved too. Michael Geist's website at
http://www.michaelgeist.ca/
provides great information. Join the Facebook group at http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=6315846683
This is a frightening development for Canadians and needs to be stopped, particularly the "anti-circumvention" provisions, the parody restrictions, and the right to make back-up copies.
I have children, other relatives, and many good friends who work as writers, performers and producers in the industries most affected by this — and while they and I are in support of fair compensation for creators of digital media, they would never support this incredibly restrictive legislation (as it has so far been described).
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All the whining about new copyright laws is typically cheap seat Canadian. I side with the artists, composers etc. who earn their livelihoods from performing and royalties. Buying a CD and burning it for a friend just reeks of small-minded penny pinching.
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I agree with all of the people above. Lets tell the companies that produce the blank media and the recorder that we can no longer buy their products, because it's illegal to own and they will have to go out of business and see how fast this might chance some people's idea. I stand up and say NO to the new copyright laws
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Years ago when this question first came up, Canada chose to add a surcharge to all blank media – that's right, to ALL BLANK MEDIA – and use this to compensate performers. I do not copy either music or movies but I do make back-ups of software. For years I have been subidizing entertainment in order take this necessary step. And now they want more? Ludicrous!!!
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Although I support tarrifs on blank media to at least *help* repay artists whose music is illegally copied, I should own the rights on any format for any music I own. For example, I still have over 200 audio cassettes, purchased from when I was a teen. I want to put them into MP3 format. I should be allowed to. I also have some CD's and 2 cars – one of which can handle MP3's – I should be able to listen in both cars. The "book licence" concept should apply to my entire household – but the minute that I loan or share my music with someone OUTSIDE my house, I relinquish all rights to using that music until it's returned to me – just like a book.
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Laughable yet again. The US whines and moans and expects Canada to roll over and play dead because big business is taking a hit.
Who stepped in for the consumers when we were getting reamed on CD pricing? It was costing companies far less to sell albums on CD than on vinyl (remember 33 1/3?) yet CDs were ALWAYS 5 to 10 dollars more costly. Who stood up for the consumer then?
Then tech caught up and consumers could download, burn and listen to what they wanted. Now entertainment and music companies are feeling the heat because we can now do to them what they did to us, namely, change the rules in our favour.
They need to adapt. Change distribution methods, work with the technology, or figure out new delivery methods, not piss and moan because the shoe is on the other foot.
I agree that out and out piracy is wrong. Selling copyrighted materials for profit should be prosecuted. Then again, companies that engaged in inflated pricing of CDs in the first place should step up and take responsibilty as well. If not for gouging the consumer, at least for creating this whole mess in the first place.
BTW, good luck enforcing this mess of legislation when it hits the fan. I work with in tech for a living and anything they can invent to enforce DRM for their draconian money grab will quickly be circumvented.
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I am an aritst myself and yes I have had work stolen , but for the most part people are honest. Perhaps the recording media needs to re think what the true value of a recording artist is.
I mean paying people over and over for work they did bogels the mind. How about we pay the guy at Tim Hortons for his performance at work over and over again??? I mean why not, same thing , no??? Ah it would be to expensive. Same deal with music and movies, it's too expensive that's why there is a market for piracy. Give people a fair price and they will pay, get greedy and they will resent you and use other means to aquire what they want. I don't agree with the piracy and I certainly don't agree that the new copyright laws that are only being implemented to help the recording and movie industry. Greedy, greedy, greedy.
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An industry that insists on holding on to a broken 20th century business model well into the 21st century will be run out of business regardless of what laws are instituted to protect their archaic system.
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If the proposal is anything like whats been hinted at then I am fully against it. The idea that we can't copy media that we've acutally paid for is absurd. Its seems to be further proof that the recording industry is completely out of touch with the reality of the world today.
Blank media is still taxed in this country and that money is supposed to be distributed to the industry to cover the cost that comes from illegal distribution. To also then open the door to the industry having the ability to sue the consumer is certainly against what the artists and composers of Canada are asking for.
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When I can't copy my own video's from VHS to DVD because of copy controls I consider that an infringement on my rights of the movie.
When I can't move an mp3 among different devices I own, that's an infringement on my rights to the music.
Less to say, I'm not to happy to have to find work arounds that make me feel I'm doing something bad.
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The industries are already subsidized with levys on CD-R/W and DVD-R/W media. Yes, certain acts, like filming a movie in a theather and selling it, or copying DVDs and selling them should be illegal but the purposed changes. Come on.
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Yet another case of big business speaking and the Conservative's mouthing along.
Reduce the length of time before the IP comes into the public domain and create a peer-to-peer service that directly pays the artist. I bet most folks would happily pay 50 cents per song if they knew if more than a couple would make it to the artist.
Lastly, when people purchase media, it is the IP license that they buy, so as a consumer I should be able to purchase music I already own, in a new compilation, with a professional case, inserts etc. and not have to repurchase the IP, or if I lose the original medium it should cost me but a fraction to replace it. Only then should there be any discussion about copying.
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If the PC government wants to hand the Liberals the next election in a silver platter… this is a fine way to do it. Giving in to American pressure is a sure fire way to lose the confidence of the voting public, and right now the PCs are folding like cheap suits. They better hold this off for a long time and change parts of it or they'll lose a lot of seats when we hit the polls next time around!
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The solution to this problem is simple. Tell the music and movie industries to screw off by stop buying CD's and DVD's. It's been 4 or 5 years since I bought a CD because some studios have copyright protection that prevents me from putting music I purchased onto my ipod. Since I paid for the music should I not have the right to listen to it on my ipod in mp3 or ACC format? Discman's are worthless in the sense that the batteries die within a couple of days. I stopped listening to music all together because of the music industry's attitude towards its consumers. Apparently, all consumers are criminals even if they do not do anything illegal with the material they purchase.
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Songwriters have the right to make their royalties, as they are the ones who are being screwed here, if this law is passed. Everyone understands that what they do in their own home is their business but nobody is innocent of making home music CD's and giving one or two away to whomever. Its not right that songs are available for free unless the writer of the songs wish them to be. Everyone has taped songs off the radio or records etc.. in the past, but since the internet started its extemely hard for a songwriter to make a living. If these amazing songwriters can't afford to write songs then what will you listen too?
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A major difference between now and 25 years ago is that copies are identical to the original, there is no generation loss. With the ability to share a file with P2P techniques, the book never leaves the "shelf" of the "library". When I borrow a book or CD from a library, it comes with me and the next person in line waits for the book to be returned.
I think the big push from the artist standpoint is U.S. based. In the U.S., only the songwriter and the publisher are paid a royalty when a song is played on the radio. There is no royaltee for the musicians on terrestrial radio airplay. With that income stream non-existant, and a reduced income stream from P2P sharing, I understand why artists in the U.S. would support DRM.
Our ability to create new duplication technologies has outpace our ability to protect the intellectual property rights inherent in the copied work. I don't know the correct answer, but I do believe that the proposed changed to the copyright act are excessive and far reaching.
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It is a little difficult to comment on legislation before it is tabled, but if it stops or makes illegal to copy media for personal use, it is wrong-headed. It will not stop pirates who distribute material for a profit and is likely to not stop personal copies by merit of the fact that sheer volume would render surveilance and litigation impossible on a wide front.
This sounds much like the "gun registration act" that was targetted at use of firearms for illegal use. It has not stopped in any way illegal possession firearms and has caused extra red tape, effort and even hardship for the thousands of legitimate hunters, collectors and target shooting clubs.
From what I am reading, the legislation, if passed, will miss its target and cause worry, concern and fear among people who only wish to copy media for personal use, not to mention new spending of tax dollars when the eventual watch dog agency is put in place.
John
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correction" I meant to say if this law isn't passed or reformed".
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I think it really comes down to intent. Copying for personal use on a variety of medias should be explicitly permitted. The premise is that the royalty has already been paid once by the original CD purchase. I can listen to the CD as many times as I like without further royalty payments – why not on different media. It's still me. Copying and distributing to someone else, whether or not for profit, is clearly unfair.
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Where will the line finally be drawn? Is my singing of a song that I heard on a CD or on the radio fundamentally a copyright infringement? Will my pen and paper be taxed because I might write the lyrics down and give them to a friend? Can I copyright EVERYTHING I say or write so nobody can repeat it without paying me a fee? You now owe me $0.99 for reading my rant.
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Once,I was watching a TV interview with Sarah Michelle-Geller, who said that while filming the movie "The Grudge" in Japan, her and the crew watched pirated movies. So if she can say that publicly and not get into any hot water, why can't I, John, Q Public do it as well? I can see if I was doing it to sell them or profit from it, but back up a DVD, CD I have paid for?
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Speaking of the artists, it has been shown that our system in Canada, with levies on recording media being distributed mostly to artists, is better for the artists than the US system, but worse for large, powerful intermediaries like Sony Music and Capitol Records. Why should we legislate profits in for these intermediaries when they are unable to adapt their business model to the realities of the Internet? I say let them go the way of the typewriter when word processors appeared on the scene!
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How do you stop pirates? if these laws aren't reformed then it will continue and get worse. I myself agree that yes, if we purchase a music CD that we should be able to make a copy for our vehicle strictly for our own personal use but the law cannot be 2 sided or it won't work, so what, we have to pay for all our music. Thats how it was when i grew up, thats how it should be now.
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Remember this all starts with the rich people, they have money, and they want more of it. Then they go and spend it on drugs, guns and rehab!!!!
Not everyone can afford to purchase all of the CD's or DVD's. They don't understand that most pleople don't want to see, listen etc. to everything that they put out on sale. If I purchase their CD and don't like it, I can't return it!!!!! I purchase a TV and don't like it, I have 30 days to bring it back!!! What't up with that?
The more restrictions that they put out, the more 'illegal' copies etc. that will be made. People will get pissed off and do it more just to get back at them. Just lower the prices to 'NORMAL' levels. How come some DVD movies can be sold at $6.99. (I'll buy one at that price), and others are at $29.99. (Never will at that price.)
It's all about money, money and more money. If they could, they would charge us for every time we listen to a song, every time we play a movie.
They know that they can't stop the copying, they will never be able to. It only takes one person to hack their protection! They should just deal with it and make it so that there is no point of making illegal copies. Make it affordable to all, accessable to all, in all formats.
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I do not think copying my own music in to different formats should be illegal at all. I love watching movies on my laptop on the plane but I don't want to change disc's midflight so I put a .avi version of the dvd on my hard drive, I don't think this should be illegal.
American industry is getting to pushy, especially when peer to peer sharing has been shown to help many industries, for example I use to listen to an internet radio station (which is now illegal to listen to if I am out of the US), and discovered some artists I really liked I went out and bought the CD and am going to one of the artists concerts because they have a tour near me. Another example, I downloaded a movie from the internet and loved it, I then seen it in the theater TWICE! and bought the dvd the day it came out, I gaurantee I would not have seen the movie in the theater if I didn't download it first because the trailer was not that appealing to me. I also download tv shows because I do not own a tv or have enough time to watch enough tv to make it worth while to pay for cable, so I watch a few fav. programs and then every year I buy the dvd of the series and get the extra features and the shows, I think that I am helping the series produce more by doing that then just not watching tv and not knowing about the show or ever buying the dvd series.
Basically in a nut shell I am very much against changing the existing copyright laws.
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I admire all you ethical tightrope walkers out there justifying your criminal activities. Using your guidelines I should be able to walk into a Wal-Mart and steal a chocholate bar because (a)they are charging more than I think they should (b) they are a wealthy company who won't miss the money and (c) I really only like the caramel part anyhow. While I agree you should be able to copy purchased material for personal use, the majority of you aren't paying a dime for your downloads; effectively killing the music business. A huge album used to sell 10-15 million copies but now 4 million is a monster. Bands used to tour on negative profit margins hoping to make up the difference in sales. No longer. Keep that in mind when you are asked to pay 150 dollars for a concert ticket. As for CD's being overpriced, when inflation is taken into account a 30 dollar CD costs no more than an 8 dollar cassette in 1986. The music you hear wasn't produced in ten minutes, it ususally takes months or even years of hard work and investment. How would YOU like to work for a year on something only to have someone steal it? You are paying for the creative ability of the artist not the physical copy of the song. The average pump-jockey makes more than the average musician without all the overhead so unless you want to stop music, STOP STEALING IT!
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I had to buy a record player to enjoy "Dark Side Of The Moon. Phased out. I bought an 8 track to enjoy rhe tape. Phased out. I bought a cassette player to enjoy the cassette. Phased out. Now I have the CD you can bet your butt that I will make a back up copy of the CD for my files and will use it to make a compilation CD to use at my discression. No profit here from copying nor do I plan to sell any of it. I just don't plan to pay for it again.So they can call me a criminal and take me before the courts for doing so. However where are we going to get the infinite resources to enforce the "proposed law",It is may I say uncontrolable.
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People will make copies regardless of any law, do you really think all americans have stopped copying because of the law, they are doing just as much if not more since the law in the States has passed, so will it be any different here or in the world for that matter. I think there will be more pirate copies available after the law passes putting the price up for all consumers who will buy less because of price. Most people want affordable products and services, I know I can't afford to pay a big price to buy over priced items of any kind. So this new law is not a good deal for anyone, the bussiness side will lose this battle by way of the consumers.
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