*PRESS RELEASE*
Topic: *PRESS RELEASE*
Displaying the only post.
Post #1
Jason wroteon June 12, 2008 at 12:55pm
Sent to all local media and MP's on behalf of the York Region Chapter of Fair Copyright for Canada:
*FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE AND PUBLICATION*
CONTACT: JASON KOBLOVSKY – HEAD OF FAIR COPYRIGHT FOR CANADA - YORK REGION CHAPTER (jkoblovsky@rogers.com)
DATE: JUNE 12TH, 2008
SUBJECT: TABELED COPYRIGHT BILL C-61
A dark day for consumers, the Canadian Tax Payer, Canadian Industry, and our economy. We are extremely disappointed on the actions the Conservative Government has taken on the copyright file, and the opportunities it had dismissed to consult with Canadians prior to the tabling of this legislation. We are extremely concerned about what this will mean for the average Canadian on how they can use the products they purchase, their rights and freedom of expression, their privacy, and their right to access information on the internet.
Industry Minister Prentice, has chosen not to listen to those very people this will effect in Canada, including not listening to those in his office conducting research on this file, instead bowing to international pressure to punish individual downloader’s rather than hearing the overwhelming call from our Canadian Industries and a broad not to do so. This is not a Canadian response to this debate nor a Canadian approach to the copyright file. Minister Prentice has failed the Canadian Public, and Canadian Industry.
The validity of the argument that Canada must punish downloader’s needs to be questioned by those in the media, and looked upon very closely. To implement policies that will take away a lot of fundamental freedoms (not just related to P2P file sharing networks) for the good of industry must be weighed by the public very carefully:
http://www.michaelgeist.ca
Our own Government research supports a very different story than what these lobbyists have been presenting to the public and it’s representatives within the music industry. Research that our Government has done which is backed up personally by a member of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development and has been ultimately dismissed by our Industry Minister in this debate. We must tread carefully on those that seek protection over fundamental rights, and our willingness to surrender these rights. Because Minister Prentice has failed to show leadership on this file, it is up to us as a free society to question the need and validity of the arguments presented by those who are seeking free societies to make sacrifices for the cause of industry. These industries in Canada are not speaking with one voice, and are very divided on the issue of copyright. Every industry, every individual, every Canadian must be involved in this debate, and obligated to stay informed on this issue. It will affect all of you, so learn about this debate, watch the media over the next several weeks, and voice your opinion for or against to your local MP. Your voice needs to be heard.
This is not just about “Copyright” and compensating your favourite musician, or a small percentage of Canadian Internet subscribers (around 5 % on the largest ISP in Canada) that use file sharing networks, or purchasing that $0.99 tune from Itunes, or buying the next big DVD. This will change in a big way how we buy digital products, where we get them from, who has control over these digital products after we buy them (including taking these products away from you if they feel fit to do so), what we can do with these digital products and how we use them, our ability to speak and express ourselves freely and openly in a public forum, what information we can access online, who has control over this access right down to what we see and hear when and where, and the privacy your currently enjoy in your own home. This is about control. Control that the public must question the need for before we surrender to it.
Some will say “it’s not all about the music” because those claiming they are lobbying on behalf of this industry (CRIA) have been caught red handed misleading the Canadian public on the overall demise it claims to have suffered. Very clear lessons can be learned in this debate with regards to how the music industry as a whole is divided on this issue (as is the case with several other of our industries on the issue of copyright) and what the public has been lead to believe by a selected few.
Overall those using file sharing to their advantage in Canada in the music industry have risen to the top of legal digital downloads in 2007. Avril Lavigne held the top spot in digital tracks sold in 2007 globally (IFPI). Ms. Lavigne is a member of the Canadian Music Creators Collation who support the use and monetization of file sharing networks, and is compiled by some of Canada’s top musicians. The Songwriters Association of Canada recognize the tremendous value file sharing has had on Canadian Talent globally and is calling for the legalization and monetization of file sharing networks as a medium. It has created opportunity for Canadian talent in all industries to rise on a global scale, which is something that’s overshadowed due to the bastardization of file sharing networks, and social criminalization bestowed upon the public by these industry lobby groups who refuse to change their business models, service the digital consumer, and brush the cob webs from their beards.
A lot of these lobbyists sent here by foreign monopolies have been coming out with misleading and questionable research to support a political agenda of control. The Canadian Recording Industry of Canada (CRIA) has been caught several times doing this and represents American born interests not Canadian, along with the Motion Picture Association of America and recently caught and admitted to faulty data in January this year in the US. The Canadian public and consumers need to be paying more attention to non bias and independent research in this debate, not industry sponsored propaganda. Once upon a time Canadians were lead to believe by industry lobbyists that smoking was good for you and in no way caused cancer, and global warming was a myth and scientists we wrong while these separate issues were debated in the public realm. The same type of propaganda and spin is being used in this debate on copyright to hide a lot of the truths and positives to protect these foreign monopolies engaged in this debate. We need to choose what’s best for Canadian Interests here.
The use of Digital Rights Management (DRM) software is cause for great concern for Canadian consumers and being sold as a “protection” measure against consumer piracy. However has not in the past and present, and will not be used as such in the future. In an age where digital media is becoming increasingly popular, this may very well restrict the use of media to a handful of devices and companies that sell these devices, giving them the edge over smaller corporations, and limit consumer choice. This will have a profound impact on Canadian innovation, and Canadian content on a global scale in digital media industries.
The use of DRM technology is also of great concern to our Privacy Commissioner:
“To cite only one high profile example, in 2005, there was extensive controversy concerning Sony-BMG’s Extended Copy Protection (XCP), a DRM tool intended to prevent unauthorized copying. Sony-BMG products contained a particular type of copy protection for music in digital format, namely a program that secretly installed itself in the root system of the user’s computer. If one of these copy-protected CDs was played on a computer connected to the Internet, it was capable of reporting back to Sony BMG information such as when the CD was played, the IP address it was being played at, and whether and how often attempts were made to copy it. Class-action lawsuits were filed in Canada and the United States, alleging violations of privacy law, breach of contract and tort claims.”
Fair Copyright for Canada stands on a united front with Canadian Consumers for a call for more balanced approach to the copyright file, and opposes the wording of this current bill. We ask on behalf of those representing our region in Ottawa to compensate for the lack of leadership Minister Prentice has shown on this file to oppose this as well, and come up with legislation that accurately reflects the research the government has done on this file.
Those in our region wishing to express their voice, and learn more about the debate that is going on in a local manner may join the Fair Copyright for Canada – York Region Chapter:
http://www.facebook.com/gr
Or search for us on facebook.
Supported Research:
The Impact of Music Downloads and P2P File-Sharing on the Purchase of Music: A Study for Industry Canada:
http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/
Bridget Anderson’s Rebuttal to US criticism on her research. Ms Anderson Co-Authored "The Impact of Music Downloads and P2P File-Sharing on the Purchase of Music: A Study for Industry Canada":
http://www.dime-eu.org/nod
Zeljka Kozul-Wright comments backing up the Industry Canada Study with a tremendous amount of research the UN has done on copyright and media (Researcher for United Nations Conference on Trade and Development - Geneva):
http://www.dime-eu.org/nod
Statistics Canada: Sound recording and music publishing report:
http://www.statcan.ca/Dail
Dr. Michael Geist (Head of Fair Copyright for Canada - Law Professor U of O, Canada Research Chair of Internet and E-commerce Law, Journalist)
http://www.michaelgeist.ca
Howard Knopf (Copyright Lawyer and Expert)
http://excesscopyright.blo
Jason Koblovsky (Systems Analyst/Information Technology Research and Development/Canadian New Media Producer)
http://digitialmusiccopy.b
Positions of the major organizations that were not consulted on the copyright file prior to the release of this bill:
The Canadian Public: http://www.facebook.com/gr
Business Coalition for Balanced Copyright: http://64.233.179.110/blog
Privacy Commissioner of Canada: http://www.privcom.gc.ca/p
Union des Consommateurs, Option Consommateurs, the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC), the Consumers Council of Canada, the Canadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinic (CIPPIC), Online Rights Canada:
http://www.cippic.ca/uploa
Canadian Music Creators Collation: http://www.musiccreators.c
Songwriters Association of Canada: http://www.songwriters.ca/
The Appropriation Art Group: http://www.appropriationar
Canadian Software Innovation Alliance: http://www.softwareinnovat
*FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE AND PUBLICATION*
CONTACT: JASON KOBLOVSKY – HEAD OF FAIR COPYRIGHT FOR CANADA - YORK REGION CHAPTER (jkoblovsky@rogers.com)
DATE: JUNE 12TH, 2008
SUBJECT: TABELED COPYRIGHT BILL C-61
A dark day for consumers, the Canadian Tax Payer, Canadian Industry, and our economy. We are extremely disappointed on the actions the Conservative Government has taken on the copyright file, and the opportunities it had dismissed to consult with Canadians prior to the tabling of this legislation. We are extremely concerned about what this will mean for the average Canadian on how they can use the products they purchase, their rights and freedom of expression, their privacy, and their right to access information on the internet.
Industry Minister Prentice, has chosen not to listen to those very people this will effect in Canada, including not listening to those in his office conducting research on this file, instead bowing to international pressure to punish individual downloader’s rather than hearing the overwhelming call from our Canadian Industries and a broad not to do so. This is not a Canadian response to this debate nor a Canadian approach to the copyright file. Minister Prentice has failed the Canadian Public, and Canadian Industry.
The validity of the argument that Canada must punish downloader’s needs to be questioned by those in the media, and looked upon very closely. To implement policies that will take away a lot of fundamental freedoms (not just related to P2P file sharing networks) for the good of industry must be weighed by the public very carefully:
http://www.michaelgeist.ca
Our own Government research supports a very different story than what these lobbyists have been presenting to the public and it’s representatives within the music industry. Research that our Government has done which is backed up personally by a member of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development and has been ultimately dismissed by our Industry Minister in this debate. We must tread carefully on those that seek protection over fundamental rights, and our willingness to surrender these rights. Because Minister Prentice has failed to show leadership on this file, it is up to us as a free society to question the need and validity of the arguments presented by those who are seeking free societies to make sacrifices for the cause of industry. These industries in Canada are not speaking with one voice, and are very divided on the issue of copyright. Every industry, every individual, every Canadian must be involved in this debate, and obligated to stay informed on this issue. It will affect all of you, so learn about this debate, watch the media over the next several weeks, and voice your opinion for or against to your local MP. Your voice needs to be heard.
This is not just about “Copyright” and compensating your favourite musician, or a small percentage of Canadian Internet subscribers (around 5 % on the largest ISP in Canada) that use file sharing networks, or purchasing that $0.99 tune from Itunes, or buying the next big DVD. This will change in a big way how we buy digital products, where we get them from, who has control over these digital products after we buy them (including taking these products away from you if they feel fit to do so), what we can do with these digital products and how we use them, our ability to speak and express ourselves freely and openly in a public forum, what information we can access online, who has control over this access right down to what we see and hear when and where, and the privacy your currently enjoy in your own home. This is about control. Control that the public must question the need for before we surrender to it.
Some will say “it’s not all about the music” because those claiming they are lobbying on behalf of this industry (CRIA) have been caught red handed misleading the Canadian public on the overall demise it claims to have suffered. Very clear lessons can be learned in this debate with regards to how the music industry as a whole is divided on this issue (as is the case with several other of our industries on the issue of copyright) and what the public has been lead to believe by a selected few.
Overall those using file sharing to their advantage in Canada in the music industry have risen to the top of legal digital downloads in 2007. Avril Lavigne held the top spot in digital tracks sold in 2007 globally (IFPI). Ms. Lavigne is a member of the Canadian Music Creators Collation who support the use and monetization of file sharing networks, and is compiled by some of Canada’s top musicians. The Songwriters Association of Canada recognize the tremendous value file sharing has had on Canadian Talent globally and is calling for the legalization and monetization of file sharing networks as a medium. It has created opportunity for Canadian talent in all industries to rise on a global scale, which is something that’s overshadowed due to the bastardization of file sharing networks, and social criminalization bestowed upon the public by these industry lobby groups who refuse to change their business models, service the digital consumer, and brush the cob webs from their beards.
A lot of these lobbyists sent here by foreign monopolies have been coming out with misleading and questionable research to support a political agenda of control. The Canadian Recording Industry of Canada (CRIA) has been caught several times doing this and represents American born interests not Canadian, along with the Motion Picture Association of America and recently caught and admitted to faulty data in January this year in the US. The Canadian public and consumers need to be paying more attention to non bias and independent research in this debate, not industry sponsored propaganda. Once upon a time Canadians were lead to believe by industry lobbyists that smoking was good for you and in no way caused cancer, and global warming was a myth and scientists we wrong while these separate issues were debated in the public realm. The same type of propaganda and spin is being used in this debate on copyright to hide a lot of the truths and positives to protect these foreign monopolies engaged in this debate. We need to choose what’s best for Canadian Interests here.
The use of Digital Rights Management (DRM) software is cause for great concern for Canadian consumers and being sold as a “protection” measure against consumer piracy. However has not in the past and present, and will not be used as such in the future. In an age where digital media is becoming increasingly popular, this may very well restrict the use of media to a handful of devices and companies that sell these devices, giving them the edge over smaller corporations, and limit consumer choice. This will have a profound impact on Canadian innovation, and Canadian content on a global scale in digital media industries.
The use of DRM technology is also of great concern to our Privacy Commissioner:
“To cite only one high profile example, in 2005, there was extensive controversy concerning Sony-BMG’s Extended Copy Protection (XCP), a DRM tool intended to prevent unauthorized copying. Sony-BMG products contained a particular type of copy protection for music in digital format, namely a program that secretly installed itself in the root system of the user’s computer. If one of these copy-protected CDs was played on a computer connected to the Internet, it was capable of reporting back to Sony BMG information such as when the CD was played, the IP address it was being played at, and whether and how often attempts were made to copy it. Class-action lawsuits were filed in Canada and the United States, alleging violations of privacy law, breach of contract and tort claims.”
Fair Copyright for Canada stands on a united front with Canadian Consumers for a call for more balanced approach to the copyright file, and opposes the wording of this current bill. We ask on behalf of those representing our region in Ottawa to compensate for the lack of leadership Minister Prentice has shown on this file to oppose this as well, and come up with legislation that accurately reflects the research the government has done on this file.
Those in our region wishing to express their voice, and learn more about the debate that is going on in a local manner may join the Fair Copyright for Canada – York Region Chapter:
http://www.facebook.com/gr
Or search for us on facebook.
Supported Research:
The Impact of Music Downloads and P2P File-Sharing on the Purchase of Music: A Study for Industry Canada:
http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/
Bridget Anderson’s Rebuttal to US criticism on her research. Ms Anderson Co-Authored "The Impact of Music Downloads and P2P File-Sharing on the Purchase of Music: A Study for Industry Canada":
http://www.dime-eu.org/nod
Zeljka Kozul-Wright comments backing up the Industry Canada Study with a tremendous amount of research the UN has done on copyright and media (Researcher for United Nations Conference on Trade and Development - Geneva):
http://www.dime-eu.org/nod
Statistics Canada: Sound recording and music publishing report:
http://www.statcan.ca/Dail
Dr. Michael Geist (Head of Fair Copyright for Canada - Law Professor U of O, Canada Research Chair of Internet and E-commerce Law, Journalist)
http://www.michaelgeist.ca
Howard Knopf (Copyright Lawyer and Expert)
http://excesscopyright.blo
Jason Koblovsky (Systems Analyst/Information Technology Research and Development/Canadian New Media Producer)
http://digitialmusiccopy.b
Positions of the major organizations that were not consulted on the copyright file prior to the release of this bill:
The Canadian Public: http://www.facebook.com/gr
Business Coalition for Balanced Copyright: http://64.233.179.110/blog
Privacy Commissioner of Canada: http://www.privcom.gc.ca/p
Union des Consommateurs, Option Consommateurs, the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC), the Consumers Council of Canada, the Canadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinic (CIPPIC), Online Rights Canada:
http://www.cippic.ca/uploa
Canadian Music Creators Collation: http://www.musiccreators.c
Songwriters Association of Canada: http://www.songwriters.ca/
The Appropriation Art Group: http://www.appropriationar
Canadian Software Innovation Alliance: http://www.softwareinnovat