[pp.int.general] The Songwriters Association of Canada endorses filesharing legalization

[Ray Jenson]

Valentin Villenave wrote:
> Hi everybody,
> 
> AFAICR, nobody has been talking here about this official proposal from
> the Songwriters Association of Canada (full text follows):
> http://www.songwriters.ca/studio/proposal.php
> 
> (maybe this has been discussed somewhere on a forum, but I think it's
> important enough te be mentioned on the list).
> 
> I don't really know how big and recognized this organization is, and I
> don't fully agree with all of their terms, but it's really a good
> sign, just as encouraging as Rick's recent news from Sweden.
> 
> I'd like to thank the French pirate (codename MaryPoppins) that has
> initially reported this statement on our national forum.
> 
> Regards,
> Valentin

Personally, I think that sounds like the RIAA for songwriters.
Monetization of file sharing systems means more monitoring and less
privacy, as it is an excuse to check everyone for compliance, just as
the RIAA has been doing... though instead of lawsuits, this looks to be
aiming for the criminal enforcement aspect. In spite of the nice wording
that says they're not looking for a reason to sue, this has the
appearance to me of another vector of attack against P2P ideas. The
tracking and monitoring of networks is evidence enough of that. Not to
mention, they make reference to the CRIA's estimates, which I absolutely
mistrust.

While I like the idea of paying songwriters, I think there should
instead be a means to pay when something is paid for, rather than
requiring every download (as this seems to be suggesting) be paid for in
full. Marketing anything is going to cost money, and that's the way of
business. And I can speak on that at length, because part of my business
is teaching other people how to get a business started.

Since (in Canada, to my understanding) there is already a tax on blank
CD's to compensate for file sharing, it would make more sense to
encourage a small portion of those receipts to go to the artists
directly, whether they are lyricists, musicians, or performers. Rather
than taxing consumers broadly for something they may or may not be
doing, it seems more sensible to set up a web site of some kind to
directly donate compensations to artists for music you like well enough
to pay for.

And the music industry isn't "suffering" much, really... it's undergoing
a change created by the internet, one which human society is forcing on
it simply by existing, and one which cannot be fought with legislation.

Also... RMI = DRM ... something to note.

This entire ides is something that we need to counter: you cannot
control the change of society simply by legislating it out. Humanity is
rapidly outgrowing the old thought that companies and collectives should
be paid on behalf of individuals, particularly since these collectives
tend to try to take power.


-- 
"It is the duty of every citizen according to his best capacities to
give validity to his convictions in political affairs."

"Laws alone can not secure freedom of expression; in order that every
man present his views without penalty there must be spirit of tolerance
in the entire population."

                           --both quotes by Albert Einstein