CANADIAN COPYRIGHT REFORM WANTS YOU!

As a consumer of digital media and electronics and as a creator you stand to be greatly impacted by changes to Canada's copyright regime. Fortunately, the Government wants to hear from consumers and innovators alike so that the interests of all Canadians can be taken into account. Until September 13, 2009 you can participate in the recently launched government consultations on copyright by visiting http://www.copyrightconsultation.ca and registering for an upcoming townhall meeting, webcast or by making a submission via email.

If we do not voice our concerns en masse we run the risk of having a draconian system of copyright rules imposed upon us. Imagine living in a country where corporations dictate how you consume information and media and utilize technology. Canadians need to speak out against such proposals and push for greater flexibility in the law to provide a balanced, fair approach on digital reforms. To that end, Michael Geist has just launched http://www.speakoutoncopyright.ca. The site is designed to inform and help foster greater participation by bringing together online discussion (ie. the Twitter #copycon stream http://bit.ly/z4llU ), postings, videos, news reports, etc.

The Canadian Coalition for Electronic Rights has also updated its letter wizard http://bit.ly/U4qS0 allowing you to easily submit your concerns in both official languages directly to the government copyright consultations as well as those minsters responsible for modernizing Canada’s Copyright Act.

RIAA MAKES STUDENT AN EXAMPLE TO THE TUNE OF $675k

In July, a federal jury in Boston ordered a Boston University student to pay $675,000 to four record labels for illegally downloading and file sharing songs.

Providence, Rhode Island graduate student Joel Tenenbaum, admitted in court that he downloaded and distributed 30 songs.

Under US federal law, the recording companies were entitled to $750 to $30,000 per infraction. But the law allows as much as $150,000 restitution per track -- if the jury finds the infringements were willful -- to a maximum of $4.5 million in Tenenbaum's case.

The jury mandated payment of $22,500 for each incident of copyright infringement as Tenenbaum's actions were found to be willful. The attorney for the 25-year-old student had asked the jury earlier Friday to "send a message" to the music industry by awarding only minimal damages.

Tenenbaum will appeal and said he will file for bankruptcy if the verdict stands. He has gone on talk shows and radio explaining that the RIAA admitted they were there to make an example out of him and that he was unable to argue his side of the case based on terms of 'fair use.'

SHORT CIRCUITS

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