[Adamc]

Originally Posted by FaaipDeOiad

I've got no problem necessarily with artists seeking to enforce copyright protections on their own artwork. That's their business, and that of their record label or publisher or whatever, and they can do what they like. The proposed laws are quite different. Here's a section from the article Gelman linked and an addition to the quote he provided:



It's absolutely ridiculous. Not only is it practically unenforcable except in the most selective fashion imaginable, it's absurdly over the top and targets common users who actually support artists and the music industry. To put it simply, if I buy a CD, copy the tracks on to my PC and load them onto my ipod so I can listen to them away from home, I'm committing a criminal offence and could recieve any number of draconian punishments. I can't see how anyone could support such a law, whether it would be enforced or not.

Strangely enough, Ruddock seems to have done an about-face on this issue now. http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599...007146,00.html

There are other elements to the Copyright bill, that are aimed at ensuring consumers are not treated like copyright pirates and copyright pirates are not treated like consumers. They include:

- Making it legal for people to record TV or radio programs in order to play them at a more convenient time.

- Legalising 'format shifting' of material such as music, newspapers, books - meaning people can put CD's they own onto their iPods or MP3 players;

Which is good I guess.

I found this amusing as well:

The new provisions in the Bill for consumers and for parody and satire will commence after Royal Assent in mid-December. For parody that will be too late for the second Test, which starts in Adelaide tomorrow, but in time for the Boxing Day test in Melbourne. That means the first place that The Fanatics and other supporters will be able to act without impunity is the Melbourne Cricket Ground. They should be in full voice by the Sydney Test, which starts on January 2. I imagine a few people will be armed with their songbook too.

Given the way the first Test went, the series may be over by then. Either way patriotic Australians will be free to mock the British team without the threat of lawsuits.