A charter for digital copyright reform in Ireland

OssianSmyth

Meeting this Saturday afternoon in the Alexander Hotel, Dublin.

The aim is to agree a charter for digital copyright reform in Ireland and promote that charter to the powers that be.

Participants include people from law, technology, politics, digital rights advocacy and media.

Registration is free and the details are here:

http://copyrightreform.eventbrite.co.uk/

Johnboy1951

Let's put together a clear charter of pro-consumer Irish digital copyright principles and then promote that charter to the public and the powers that be.

I believe the idea that we "consume" media is playing into the hands of those who would lock down access to copyrighted works to the detriment of society.

In the first place any media that is capable of being distributed in unaltered form by digital means should have a very very limited life to its copyright protection.

Copyright is a right granted to artists to help support them to continue producing artistic work for the benefit of society.

In these times a grant of a 5 year copyright on a musical composition would be more than adequate.

I see no benefit to society from having any artist earn for any longer period of time, from a piece of work they produce.
If they want to earn more, then let them work some more like the rest of us!
If people won't buy it within 5 years it will in all likelihood be forgotten anyway.

The time period could be graded for different works ..... say 5 years for a musical work; 7 years for a film/video work or something like that. It would not be difficult to do.

At the same time harsher penalties for those commercially exploiting such copyrighted works could be introduced.

In addition, all copying for personal use ...... whether transferring to a different format, or playing on different devices etc ..... should be allowed.
Kill off that DRM stuff they are sticking us with!

On the matter of copyright infringement, that "consume" thing again raises its ugly head, as does alleged 'theft'.

It so badly needs to be specified that we do not "consume" the media ...... it still survives in its original form after we have seen and/or heard it.
This expression has been introduced in later years by the media corporations to subtly influence our thinking. It is long past the time it was stopped.
Similarly with 'theft of IP' ........ this is copyright infringement ...... NOT theft!

It is time to get back to the basics of the granting of copyright.

It needs to be recognised that it is society that is GRANTING this right to a small section of society, ONLY for the benefit of society as a whole.

No one has, or should have, the automatic right, to copyright that does not benefit society.
Copyright on material should only last as long as it benefits the society granting that right.

When we as a society take back control over the granting of such rights then we will see everyone benefit ..... both artists and society.

On a personal note ...... I believe that such copyright should NOT be transferable commercially, but should be allowed to be transferred to the estate on the death of an artist for works that are within the copyright time period.

As long as it is born in mind that society is granting this right, for the purpose of benefiting society as a whole, then the right direction will be taken.

It seems that direction is the exact opposite of what we are facing presently.

regards.

OssianSmyth

I agree with your comment on the use of the word 'consume'. Why not come along on Saturday and take part?

Johnboy1951

OssianSmyth wrote: »

I agree with your comment on the use of the word 'consume'. Why not come along on Saturday and take part?

Unfortunately not in or near Dublin