Copyright Consultations
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Archived - Campbell, Rob
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1. How do Canada's copyright laws affect you? How should existing laws be modernized?
Canada's copyright laws affect me when I don't have access to material that should be in the public domain. Increasing the duration of copyright affects everyone. Implementing even harsher rules that prevent sharing or making copies of media I purchase for personal use will make many of my devices illegal by definition and force me to use services that engage in monopolistic and uncompetitive practices. Not to mention, they will exclude many canadian businesses.
2. Based on Canadian values and interests, how should copyright changes be made in order to withstand the test of time
Decrease Copyright duration. Don't enforce restrictions for personal use or sharing (within reasonable limits, i.e., friends). Show the world that we value a rich and diverse public domain. A vast creative commons for people to draw knowledge and inspiration from and to create new and interesting derivative works. Allow and encourage people to share media they find interesting.
3. What sorts of copyright changes do you believe would best foster innovation and creativity in Canada?
Well, really that should be up to media producers allowing people to freely use and distribute their work for creative purposes. I don't think you can create a law designed to prevent sharing and copying that would encourage innovation and creativity. The two are opposed to each other. Encourage software and hardware companies to adopt open source models so their efforts can be shared and built upon.
4. What sorts of copyright changes do you believe would best foster competition and investment in Canada?
More open copyright. By fighting back against the media companies that are increasingly restrictive with their media, we will encourage canadian companies to find alternate, more open mechanisms for sharing and distributing their work. We should be encouraging sharing and word-of-mouth recommendations to popularize canadian artists. We should encourage more open forms of distribution for canadian artists and invest in them to promote success rather than investing in large media corporations and technology to prevent sharing.
5. What kinds of changes would best position Canada as a leader in the global, digital economy?
Less restrictive copyright and a relaxed stance towards file-sharing and online media distribution. By taking a lead on open, democratized media, we will show the world that we can't be bullied by a few large corporations who produce the big glossy media.
Open is better!
Thanks for providing this survey and for considering my reply to it.
—
Rob Campbell
