Hard Light Productions Forums
Off-Topic Discussion => General Discussion => Topic started by: Nico on May 10, 2004, 04:50:28 pm
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Sorry, only have a french link ( http://www.odebi.org/new/theme/accueil.php?a=90&session=&var_page=1 ) so that won't be helpful to you folks, so let me translate:
"For the EU the only downloads that are punishable are those meant for commercial purpose.
The file sharing softwares have for long been targeted by the music and cinema majors, accusing them of being the first responsible for their profit losses. According to them, culprists are not only those who use those programs to sell ilgeal copies, but also all the people who download musical and video files for their own private use.
The many national governments don't exactly adopt the same stance regarding that growing phenomenon. The precursor in the net users protection is Canada which, in a law-suit that opposed the largest music labels and 29 users of those P2P websites, sided with those users, since they were downloading and sharing music protected with author rights for their own private use only.
Net user freed from suspiscious assumptions
This is more or less the way the European Union decided to follow. The european parliament indeed took up a directive project regarding intelectual property which, altho forbidding illegal copy ad lucrative distribution, completly clears file adepts of personnal video and music file sharing.
Europe so makes its own the idea of only those who draw profits from piracy would be subject to judicial pursuits. "To be clear, this means that acts commited thruthfully by consummers, as those who download internet music for their personal use, won't fall under this law text", European parliament press service explains. On the contrary, for those who made a true profession of black marketting, sanctions will be severe and will go up to prison and bank account freeze.
Precious ally
So Bruxelles decided to take into account researches made up til now by many institutions which demonstrated that P2P was not an enemy, but a precious ally for the majors. Numbers talk for themselves: 80% of P2P users use d/l software to discover artists before going to a store and buy their CD.
The european directive, before getting operational, will have to go through the Union minister council, which foresees adopting it from here to around the end of the 2004 legislature. The national goverments will then have 24 months to ratify it."
Well, as usual with the EU, it's not going fast, but at least, it's going the right way.
Go Eu!!!
"laughs at the poor yankees and their beloved RIAA" :D
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So... you can pirate music and software, but can't sell it? No fair... Screw you guys. :doubt: J/k
Beloved RIAA? I'd like to throw them in a sack, toss the sack into the river, and hurl the river into space.
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*points at RIAA*
Yeah, you know where to stick it! HA! :p
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OMG :lol:
I'm starting to looooooove the EU in ways I cannot even begin to express. :D
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now, if only the semi-illegal APB (anti-piracy bureau) in sweden could spontaneously self-combust... then all'd be well.
also, it seems the eu is actually doing something good for once.
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In Canada we also pay tax on all recordable media that goes to the Canadian equivalent of the RIAA (no idea what they are called).
This is Canada after all...what is illegal in the United States we make legal and tax the bejeezes out of it. In a strange sort of masocistic way...I like that :)
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Originally posted by IceFire
In Canada we also pay tax on all recordable media that goes to the Canadian equivalent of the RIAA (no idea what they are called).
it's the same thing in sweden. it's poo.
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Originally posted by IceFire
In Canada we also pay tax on all recordable media that goes to the Canadian equivalent of the RIAA (no idea what they are called).
This is Canada after all...what is illegal in the United States we make legal and tax the bejeezes out of it. In a strange sort of masocistic way...I like that :)
Seems to make sense. If you can't outlaw it, you might as well make a quick buck off of it.
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Hehe, well what can I say, Go EU! :D
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Originally posted by IceFire
In Canada we also pay tax on all recordable media that goes to the Canadian equivalent of the RIAA (no idea what they are called).
Ehh, if it's illegal to take copies of music/movies then what is the point of paying tax on the media? I mean, that's like paying a fine before you've committed a crime just because you _may_ commit one.
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if it's like it is in sweden, the "tax" is to cover private copying, not pirate copying.
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Originally posted by kode
if it's like it is in sweden, the "tax" is to cover private copying, not pirate copying.
But if I understood correctly, private copying too is illegal in Canada.
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No, it's not, you understood incorrectly ;)
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Well, we also pay tax on the recordablemedia in France, but there has been some freaky stuff trying to get passed within this law, such as a tax on HD.
As GreyWolf said, they knew that outlawing it wouldn't have been that efficient, so might as well make a quick buck on that.
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as mutch i understand the laws here in sweden, it legal to download music and other software as long as you don't sell it. but i think they are going to change the law so that is going to beillegal to.
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Originally posted by Pera
Ehh, if it's illegal to take copies of music/movies then what is the point of paying tax on the media? I mean, that's like paying a fine before you've committed a crime just because you _may_ commit one.
Its actually not illegal to download the stuff apparently...I think its illegal to upload it (largely a concession to the US law system).
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Originally posted by Genryu
Well, we also pay tax on the recordablemedia in France, but there has been some freaky stuff trying to get passed within this law, such as a tax on HD.
As GreyWolf said, they knew that outlawing it wouldn't have been that efficient, so might as well make a quick buck on that.
Well, there's taxes on the DRD/R and CDR/R TVA, true.
The HD thing will not get through.
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Never said it was. Just said that they thought of it.