Canada announces amendments to Copyright Act preparing for WIPO compliance

[MercenaryForHire]

Text

TORONTO ? Those who enjoy swapping music, books and movies on-line may want to reconsider.

The federal government inched closer Thursday to cracking down on file sharing by announcing several proposed amendments to the Copyright Act.

The changes would include the signing of two World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) treaties and forcing Internet service providers to keep records of those who share high volumes of copyright-protected material such as songs, Hollywood movies and TV shows.

The amendments would "clarify that the unauthorized posting or the peer-to-peer file-sharing of material on the Internet will constitute an infringement of copyright," say documents released jointly Thursday by Canadian Heritage and Industry Canada.

"It will also be made clear that private copies of sound recordings cannot be uploaded or further distributed."

The reforms, which will be introduced in the House of Commons later this spring, would give the music industry greater power to stop such behaviour through the courts via lawsuits. Currently, it is not illegal in Canada to upload material to programs like Kazaa and BearShare.

"Clearly, once we get implementation there'll be no doubt . . . it'll be illegal to engage in unauthorized file-sharing," said Graham Henderson, who heads the Canadian Recording Industry Association, which represents the country's record labels.

Adding Canada's name to the list of 50 countries already using the WIPO treaties would make it illegal to distribute and trade music on-line.

It would also become a crime to remove or circumvent copyright protections on CDs.

The amendments also ask that ISPs such as Rogers, Shaw and Bell "play a role in curbing the misuse of their facilities for copyright infringement."

ISPs would have to notify subscribers when illegal activity is detected via their Internet connection. They would also be required, as is the case in the United States and parts of Europe, to keep a log of such warnings in case of a lawsuit ? although a court order would be needed to make the names and addresses known to prosecutors.

In pre-committee meetings the copyright amendments were approved by all political parties.

- M4H

 

[Kenazo]

Frick. I was proud of canada for its laws. Now there's no reason to stay here...

 

[simms]

That sucks for us.

 

[MercenaryForHire]

It would also become a crime to remove or circumvent copyright protections on CDs.

That's the part I'm most concerned with.

- M4H

 

[brigden]

ah heck me.

 

[ttown]

For all you anti-copying fans, here's why it should concern you too....

This quiet little sentence:
"t would also become a crime to remove or circumvent copyright protections on CDs."

Translation: Your rights as a consumer have been eliminated.

 

[SaberDicer]

What about the bands that like their music being downloaded off the net. A lot of cases it has helped their music reach people it would never have before. Silly law, even worse about the copy protection, bye bye consumer rights.

 

[meltdown75]

:Q :thumbsdown:

dammit. i was hoping our gov't would would lag behind for a little while longer, but oh well. arr mateys. :*(

 

[VirtualLarry]

Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire

It would also become a crime to remove or circumvent copyright protections on CDs.

That's the part I'm most concerned with.

- M4H

Oh noes! Better rip off the "SHIFT" keys off of all keyboards that you send/sell to Canadian citizens. Don't want to be accused of "trafficking in copyright circumvention devices" over the border, and spent 10 years in a Canadian prison, because you sold some customer in .ca a $100 e-Machines box over ebay. :|

(Actually, I do mean that semi-seriously. I think that I will start doing that. When the customer complains, I'll point them to their own laws in the matter, as a form of protest. Hopefully they will become aware of the issue, and follow likewise.)

I wonder if Sandford corp., makers of "Sharpie" markers, will add a disclaimer onto their pens that they ship to Canada, with "not to be used for copyright-protection circumvention, under any circumstances" printed on them.