Protest against copyright law

Written By: - Date published: 12:29 pm, February 18th, 2009 - 17 comments
Categories: activism, interweb - Tags: , ,

Creative Freedom NZ has organised a protest against the “guilt by accusation” copyright law tomorrow in Wellington:

When: 12:00, Thursday 19 February
Where: Parliament forecourt
Wear: Bright colours, with a black placard.

Please head along and show your support for natural justice.

[Hat tip (in fact nicked verbatim from) No Right Turn] [Update, time has been changed to 12 noon to avoid conflicting with another protest.]

17 comments on “Protest against copyright law ”

  1. What a dumbass law, how can they police it?

  2. Jasper 2

    BD

    They can’t. As the law stands in its current format, ISPs may as well turn off all connections on the 28th Feb as they can get pinged for pretty much anyone watching TVNZ on Demand (copyright programs from USA shown online – impinges copyright as TVNZ isn’t original owner), pretty much anything on YouTube, Viral video links etc etc.
    In short, anything downloaded is “copyright” and users downloading such are breaching s92A.

    Completely idiotic piece of legislation that Tizard didn’t really think about. Perhaps she was too busy on her ipod when she was writing it?

  3. So if it goes through, it could actually cause chaos?

  4. Tane – although I can’t be in Welly tomorrow, this must be one of the few things we agree on! Keeping Stock has joined the Great Internet Black-out in solidarity.

  5. infused 5

    I will try to be there…

  6. DeeDub 6

    F***king RIANZ.

    Who says those f**wits represent musicians in NZ?!! They represent multinational record companies who don’t want artists to have control of their own careers. They’re s**t scared artists will suddenly realise that record companies are becoming increasingly irrelevant.

    Frightening stuff. THOUGHT CRIME anyone?

  7. pk 7

    wandering around the blogs – universal comdemnation of this regardless of political leanings.

  8. Draco T Bastard 8

    They’re s**t scared artists will suddenly realise that record companies are becoming increasingly irrelevant.

    Increasingly irrelevant?

    They became completely irrelevant when it became possible to have a music studio in your garage and to be able to distribute your music faster and wider than what the record companies are comfortable with. Throw in the fact that the record companies wouldn’t be able to make any money from these methods though and you realise why such legislation exists – to prevent the actual implementation of a free-market.

  9. Matthew Pilott 9

    They became completely irrelevant when it became possible to have a music studio in your garage and to be able to distribute your music faster and wider than what the record companies are comfortable with.

    So long as you’re happy to do it all for free.

  10. Jasper 10

    Yes it could cause Chaos BD. Chaos indeed.

    “Hi Citilink s92A helpdesk”
    “Yes, I’d like to inform you that editors at the DimPost are downloading whole episodes of Desperate Housewives for Jane Bowron to review as she isn’t able to watch it on a Monday night”
    “Oh, thank you, we’ll disconnect the DimPost immediately”

    No need to follow due process. A simple “we were told by someone you were downloading copyright material” will suffice in the ISPs terms.

    Not quite so basic as the outline above, but the amendment basically says just that.

  11. DeeDub 11

    Matthew, noone is saying you do it all for free. Bastards will ALWAYS find ways to copy our music for free – always have and always will. Punishing everyone on SUSPICION of copyright theft is just f***ked… plain and simple.

    For the record I have been a professional musician most of my life and I do NOT support RIANZ or this stupid law.

  12. DeeDub 12

    Draco, I say ‘increasingly’ irrlevant because I think it’s still nice to have a ‘filter’ between the public and every little johnny with a computer foisting his bad drum and bass ‘beats’ on an unsuspecting public. I think there is, to use a trite political analogy, a ‘third way’ between the corporate model and the ‘total freedom, man!’ proponents….

  13. Matthew Pilott 13

    DeeDub, I wasn’t really disagreeing with you at all, let alone on that count.

    In my mind it seems like if you’re repeatedly accused of doing something, you’ll be treated as guilty. Not quite right, innit? Whatever your views on copyrights and violations thereof…

  14. DeeDub 14

    Matthew.. I know mate. Sorry if it looked like I was attacking YOU in anyway. I just can’t believe I’m seeing this amendment even CONSIDERED!!!?!

    It seems this government is determined to remove a persons’ right to natural justice in more spheres than we first thought…. I’m ashamed it was a Labour polys idea in the first place.

  15. Felix 15

    MP: So long as you’re happy to do it all for free.

    The great irony is that for most of us this has usually been the case anyway. The argument is about the loss of a revenue stream which for most musicians never really existed in any significant volume.

  16. Matthew Pilott 16

    DW – all good. Felix – likewise, the worst part is that this kind of law is designed to protect the Spears’ of this world.

    Incidentally, I have never downloaded a torrent file or similar, but then I use youtube. Maybe I shouldn’e even admit that…

  17. Draco T Bastard 17

    Matthew Pilott:

    So long as you’re happy to do it all for free.

    There are models that can be used successfully to produce an income from publishing on the internet so, no, not all for free.

    DeeDub:

    I say ‘increasingly’ irrelevant because I think it’s still nice to have a ‘filter’ between the public and every little johnny with a computer foisting his bad drum and bass ‘beats’ on an unsuspecting public.

    Getting to listen to what other people think may be commercially successful isn’t my idea of a good filter. It certainly isn’t hard to find good music on the internet and it’s also not hard to ignore a site that has bad music on it.

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