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Protest against online sharing law

Sat, 27 Aug 2011 8:23a.m.

A protest will take place in Auckland's Aoetea Square today. (file pic)

There are calls for the government to repeal its Copyright Amendment act that will prosecute people who share music online.

It comes into force in a week but the Internet Freedom Collective says it was rushed through parliament.

Spokesman, James Roberts, says there is nothing wrong with swapping movies or music online.

“We feel it’s going to penalise institutions such as libraries, universities and schools who will no longer be able to provide the internet services we have grown to expect because they, as the account holders, will be liable for anyone in their organisation that downloads.”

James Roberts says there will be a protest in Auckland’s Aotea square against the pending legislation at midday today.

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27 Aug 2011 09:40p.m.

Frank wrote:

Ah, Alien. This is not a law to prevent stealing, as copyright infringement is not stealing. Not unless you believe propaganda from the media distribution industries. Surely you are not that naive? The law has been a long time coming, however, following the comical attempts from Labour to force it through, the current rendition was rammed through by national with minimal involvement of their constituents, but consistent involvement of US based media distribution companies, and their US-funded NZ representatives. The end result is to enable sidestepping legal process. Creating an easier method to protect IP, which will not benefit NZ, or NZ content producers. It will however cost you, and all NZ internet users money, when the government allowed claimants to pay lower than cost price for the processing of claims. But at least the NZ government have made it possible to not defend yourself if you happen to make it to the tribunal, as legal representation is limited. Now if Simon Powers produced a structure that benefits NZrs, benefits NZ creatives, benefits the nation, it might be a little more palatable. Forcing through a comical structure, under urgency, after promising US interests that it would go through quickly. Changing labour laws to suit US media companies. Looking at removing Pharmac to sign a free trade deal. Looking at changing pharma patent situation to benefit US companies but will result in increased costs for medication for NZrs. The sign of a government that is looking out for us...

27 Aug 2011 09:16p.m.

Andrew McPherson wrote:

copying a file isn't stealing it. stealing deprives the owner of the original thing. You can steal a book, but you can't steal an e-book, you can only copy it. In order to steal a file, you would have to have to take the only copy of the file in existence from the creator of the file. So your belief that copying is stealing is as absurd as the concept of "intellectual property". It is neither property, nor was it created by an intellectual. Any questions? pirateparty.org.nz

27 Aug 2011 09:04p.m.

Joel Wiramu Pauling wrote:

Knowledge is by nature social and combinatorial. Any talk of owning it like property is fundamentally wrong. Having a number of rights around commercial exploitation, or association - those are things which make sense, any comparison to physical property is madness.

27 Aug 2011 07:11p.m.

anon wrote:

Dear 'alien'. This law is so vague and Internet-retarded that you have to wonder where on earth our politicians received an education. Also, It's not about the right to steal, this was a very small report on a very hefty list of problems with this law. 1. It will NOT persecute real pirates- anyone with half a brain for computers can get around the law. 2. Problem is, it'll probably be some 13 year old kid with no idea about the law downloading off his/her parents' Internet, making the parents open for a $15, 000 fine. 3. This was a law the US paid our government to implement!!!!! That is not democracy!!!!! I personally do not download illegally, nor have I ever stolen anything. It is the principle of the law that I am against; and the clear fact that it real pirates will remain undetected.

27 Aug 2011 11:46a.m.

alien wrote:

what do want, the right to steal other peoples property, when do we want it, now. Got to love people that want to be able to legally steal things from the internet, bet they don't have the gonads to walk into a shop and steal form someone face to face. James Roberts thinks there is nothing wrong with swapping other peoples legal property online. Will he be willing to let me go into his house and take all that he owns? not likely. It was not rushed through parliament. Damn it was in so many stages. Original passed by labour, then put on hold for a few amendments, one of which was removing the fact that labour made it possible for a person to be disconnected from the internet of the copyright owners word and no evidence of that person stealing. Which has now been put on the back burner to see if it is needed, if it is then the copyright owner has to prove that a person has downloaded their material without paying. There was no way that this was rushed through, well on the books for 4 plus years, committee stages, etc.