The IIPA Copyright Demands For Canada and Spain

Dangerous_Minds writes "The International Intellectual Property Alliance (IIPA) is demanding a number of countries be placed back on the special 301 piracy watchlist. One country being recommended for inclusion is Canada (PDF). Apparently, even though Canada passed copyright reform laws, any compromise to protect consumers is reason for inclusion. Michael Geist offers some analysis on this move. Meanwhile, the IIPA is also recommending that Spain be included in the watchlist. In a separate filing, the IIPA makes a host of reasons why Spain should also be included. One of the main reasons seems to be that even though Spain passed the Sinde Law in spite of protests, the courts aren't simply rubberstamping any takedown requests and that cases that were dismissed due to lack of evidence is cause for concern. Freezenet offers some in-depth analysis on this development while noting towards the end that the Special 301 report suffers from credibility problems."

An IP isn't enough evidence

[Anonymous Coward]

So unless they come up with actual proper evidence, they can suck it. Some of our ISP in Canada are actually fighting for their consumers, unlike in the US.

Re:IIPA

[Anonymous Coward]

Agreed, and since when do international and undemocratic syndicates have the authority to dictate National law and policies. Is no government in the world sovereign, for the people, by the people, of the people it represents?

The purpose of trade treaties

[tepples]

Is no government in the world sovereign, for the people, by the people, of the people it represents?

It happens when a country's elected representatives use their treaty power to give up some of the country's sovereignty in return for other countries agreeing not to impose prohibitive import tariffs on products from that country.

Re:Translates to

[icebike]

IIPA having childish temper tantrums again, can't we just ignore them? or at least get the US government to ignore them?

Wouldn't putting THEM on a watch list be more effective?

Publishing the home address, email, phone numbers, street view links of the CEO of each company that is a member, as well as each representative they send to these meetings? Maybe outing the meeting locations, and times?

If these bozos think its fair game to try to intimidate entire countries, why is turn-about not fair play?

It's easy to get a positive mod

[Grayhand]

I could take the safe route and complain about copyright holders. The tougher question which most avoid is why are copyright holders assumed to be evil? I'm not talking corporations, we can all agree they are inherently evil. I'm strictly concerned with artists that are often vilified as greedy. Say I spend a year writing a novel then publish it on iTunes for sale. Why am I evil asking a few dollars for some one to read it? Say you spend a few days or a week reading it in your spare time $2 or $3 dollars seems like cheap entertainment. If it takes me six months to a year to write it why am I expected to work for free and the readers expect to be paid for their time? Before I get shouted down by people claiming that's not what they are talking about I see such posts constantly modded highly that stand up for reader rights and attack the content creators. Personally I have no use for these corporate lackies that are involved with the lawsuits and such but why aren't the readers sticking up for the indy writers and filmmakers that want their work seen and read but also want to feed their families? It's nearly impossible for writers to survive on live performance fees as everyone demands from musicians so what option do they have? I personally have a stack of unpublished novels and at present the only way I know to protect them is to leave them unpublished. If I let a distributor release them they want all the rights and if I release them independently the readers claim they have the rights. The joke is if I leave them unpublished then I keep all my rights and no one can claim them. I'm risking my Karma making this post, I'm at excellent right now, I just feel strongly about this as a writer. I avoid like the plague posting on copyright posts to avoid Karma hits but sometimes it's hard to sit back and hear how evil rights holders are. I've recommended to fellow writers to not publish their works because of the hostile environment but how do the readers benefit when writers fear publishing their work? I know capitalism is a foul word but what's wrong with letting the market decide? If you don't want to pay don't read the work. I have 400 to 500 novels saved off on my iPad all public domain. It'll take me many years to read it all. There's plenty of free material but most want what's hot right now and they still want it free. When I was growing up we'd save up a month or more to buy a book. Now most expect to have hundreds if not thousands at their finger tips. How is this the writer's fault and why do we have to suffer because of current expectations? There has to be a compromise? One that allows writers to make a living and people to have reasonable access. You may have paid $500 for your iPad but not a dime of that went to writers. We just want a fighting chance to make a living. I'm posting this mostly for friends since I have no plans to release any of my current work. After I'm dead the family can decide what to do with it all.

Comment removed

[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

To Which I Say: Ahoy!

[rueger]

Every time a story like this pops up I find it impossible to not fire up Bittorrent, visit the Pirate Bay, [thepiratebay.se] and download something that the entertainment mega corps have already made a gazillion dollars selling.

Re:Population US 315,341,617 vs Canada 34,880

[DarwinSurvivor]

Apparently last time Canada was on the list, it was at the backroom REQUEST of Canadian officials so they would have a "reason" to push anti-privacy- um, uh, I mean anti-"piracy" laws. I highly doubt our country's leaders will try to explain why we are on there this time.

Re:IIPA

[AmiMoJo]

It's a counterbalance. First you had the Axis of Evil, now you have the Axis of Freedom. How do we apply?