The Globe and Mail's Download Decade turns to the issue of copyright today. The package includes a lengthy article on the issue, a global map of the copyfight, and the launch of a public wiki on copyright reform. The wiki is an interesting initiative – the Globe plans to wrap it up on July 1st and send the results to the government. There is also a video debate (embedded below) on copyright issues between CRIA lawyer Barry Sookman and me in which we were both asked the same questions and the responses run side-by-side.
Founder, isoHunt.com
Mr. Geist, would you work on revising the Bill C-61 draft on G&M’s wiki and encourage other lawyers to do the same? Or is C-61 beyond repair? There are request and takedown procedures in C-61 that would significantly clarify responsibility of ILT like us, a process we are already using as coded in the DMCA. Although I would very much like to see the notice and notice process adopted in Canadian law instead, process you mentioned is informally used by ISPs.
Anyways, government transparency and “Open Source Legislation” has been a dear topic in my head, and I’m curious to see how G&M’s wiki and public input may actually influence policy making. I’m also honored to be involved in G&M’s comprehensive series on the business and culture changing effects of file sharing.
If you watch the eyes of both Michael Geist and CRIA lawyer Barry Sookman, you’ll notice that Michael almost never looks away from the camera when answering, however, Barry Sookman averts his eyes from the camera often when he answers. Funny how people who lie can’t look you in the eyes, or in this case, the eye of the camera.
Anyone else notice a couple other tells of his?
Manager Distributed Education, Dalhousie Faculty of Medicine
I believe the propositions that were in Bill C-61 would have greatly limited the deliver of higher education, and as part of the community that is involved in delivering distributed (distance) education programs, revision to Canadian copyright is of considerable interest.
I find the Globe and Mail articles helpful in increasing the ability to discuss these issues with colleagues, and hope it brings the issue into focus again among both faculty and students. The interests of industry must be tempered to ensure that goals of education and public trust remain attainable. I’ll be doing my best to encourage discussions among faculty and students at my university through my blog. http://blogs.dal.ca/distmeded/
Thank you for your work.
Absurdity of G&M’s wiki
I would just like to point out that G&M is owned by media conglomerate CTVGlobemedia; they are hardly unbiased when it comes to copyright.
When C-61 was unveiled, they introduced it with the headline “Ottawa gets tough with illegal downloaders”. That should give you an idea of the people you’ll be dealing with.
Who exactly are the people at G&M, to preside over a national bill? For them to preside over a bill on, say, drug policy would be seen as laughable–why should copyright be any different?
I am strongly opposed to participating in this wiki.