Archive for February 29th, 2012

Canadian Music Industry Takes Aim At Google, Facebook, Reddit & Tech Startups With Bill C-11 Demands

The steady procession of Canadian music industry representatives to the Bill C-11 committee continues today with the Canadian Independent Music Association (CIMA) ready to add to an already long list of industry demands to completely overhaul the bill. The music industry demands keep growing, but CIMA’s list is the most radical to date as it would create liability risk for social networking sites, search engines, blogging platforms, video sites, aggregators, and many other websites featuring third party contributions. If that were not enough, the industry is also calling for a new iPod tax, an extension in the term of copyright, a removal of protections for user generated content, parody, and satire, as well as an increase in statutory damage awards. Taken together, the music industry demands make SOPA look like some minor tinkering with the law.

Note that industry had already called for SOPA-style reforms such as website blocking and expanded liability that could extend to sites such as YouTube before the hearings began. This week has seen an industry lawyer inaccurately portray global approaches to digital lock rules and a musician association demand full statutory damages of up to $20,000 per infringement for non-commercial infringements by individuals.

Those demands are nothing compared to what CIMA has in mind, however. Topping the list is a massive expansion of the enabler provision. The music industry wants to remove a requirement that the so-called pirate sites be “designed primarily” to enable copyright infringement. It states:

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February 29, 2012 39 comments News

CETA Hits a Snag Over Patent Provisions

The negotiations between Canada and the European Union appear to have hit a snag over patent law changes demanded by large pharmaceutical companies that could add billions of dollars to Canadian health care costs. While the government previously indicated that a deal would be concluded within months, Minister Ed Fast […]

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February 29, 2012 Comments are Disabled News

The Issues Surrounding Subscriber Information in Bill C-30

Christopher Parsons offers a detailed analysis of the issues around subscriber information, providing a persuasive case on the need for court oversight.

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February 29, 2012 2 comments News