The copyright/wrong bill is marching on towards becoming law. The trouble is that at the moment the mud is no less opaque than it was.
Will we be able to legaly copy that brand new CD so that we can listen on that lovely new teacher laptop so thoughtfully subsidised by the Ministry of Education? Possibly. Sort of.
Clause (e) is the condition that I can see causing the most confusion and potential grief. Its not at all clear that you can play your music on a work computer, and if you do you probably are required to do so in a private office or with headphones. No listening to your co-workers music allowed! This very limited interpretation is supported by clause (f) which suggests that you have to own any computer you play music on, i.e. no using one provided by your employer. Why do I think we’ve just changed one stupid, unenforceable law for another that will see some workplaces continue to ban digital music… Link
What about copy that DVD for the computer or the media player (generous fellow that Santa bloke)? Possibly. Sort of. We we be allowed to videotape Sunday night’s Christmas movie and watch it next Christmas Eve? Possibly. Sort of. Lend it to a friend? Possibly. Sort of.
The other type of format shifting allowed under the bill is time shifting. This is the provision that makes VCRs legal while simultaneously making that collection of carefully recorded video cassettes on your shelf illegal. Yes, you can record “solely for the purpose of viewing or listening to the recording at a more convenient time” but only if you can’t access it from an on-demand service (and yes that might require a payment). However, you only get to keep that copy for as long as is “reasonably necessary for viewing or listening to the recording at a more convenient time.” Link
As presented in Parliament the bill offers little more than half measures. Whilst there has been some discussion on the web, no one in the ‘mainstream’ media has even approached some of the apparent contradictions and sops offered by this piece of legislation. There is a lot more to the whole thing than just being able to watch a DVD on a phone or video iPod. The bill is about rights of ownership of information and ideas. It’s about whether this country follows other nations into implementing draconian protection measures that may end up being used against innocent consumers and lining the purses of those whose pockets are already deep and full.
It’s time to read and think for ourselves. Some local and overseas blogs have picked up what’s happening and attempted to get the discussion going.
Today’s Hard News (guest Green MP Nandor Tanczos), earlier Russell Brown post and some well thought out background from Stephen Marshall.