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EU can't pass 3-strike rule for illegal downloaders
The European Union (EU) couldn't come to agreement on measures to cut off subscribers from the Internet if they illegally download copyright-protected material. Instead, the debate turned into a discussion on preserving citizens' rights to information.
France and other countries had hoped to get a rule to introduce a "three strikes" law against pirates at a European level. French law says if you are caught illegally downloading copyright-protected music or movies three times, then you should be banned from the Internet.
Many parliamentarians view the French law as "draconian," said Network World, and contrary to the citizens' fundamental right to access information.
The UK is considering a similar idea to the French three-strikes rule, but it wants to have formal legal steps before kicking someone off, rather than going around the court system.
For more:
- Network World reports the latest in EU telecom law. Article.
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Comments
Posted by Rex Allen | April 21, 2009 - 1:56pm
Downloading copyrighted material has gone on long before the internet. In my youth I tape recorded (remember those big 7 inch reels) music from the radio and cut out the anouncer, and the commercials. Those were the days when I could not afford to buy (in those days) records. My experiance is that mostly the youth of today are the people downloading music, and or Movies.
Now 4 Decades later, I had to purchase the CD's that had the music I recorded, and don't mind paying for the same music I recorded decades ago, because I have the means to do so. Technology made sure I can not play those old tapes. I firmly believe this will be the case in the future.
Making copies for your personal use, and not for sale is in my opinion a right that should not be denied. I have made copies of the CD's that I own for my personal use; either in my truck, or to carry with me. Imagine the look on some theif if they were to steal the CD from me. It's just a copy, and not worth going to jail. Meanwhile the origonal is safe at home locked away.
Most of the Music or Movies I have seen on the internet is not a very high quality. By previewing the Music or Movie in Low Definition, a person would like to purchase the Music or Movie, if they liked it.
Don't get me wrong, we all have to pay for artists and composers to make a living creating their Movies or Music.
What we are talking about is the right of the government to deny someone of due process. Imagine if you would, someone parking a vehicle near your home with a Wi-Fi connection and tapping onto your wireless and illegally downloading material. You would get the blame, because your connection was monitored, and found to have committed such a crime. I say...Prove It! The courts are just the place to prosicute anyone for this crime, if there was one committed.
We all have to be vigilent not to let another country trample on the rights of it's citizens, because if our government sees that they can do it we can do it too.
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