Cui bono? Bono!
Struggling "artist" Bono recently joined forces with his "music" industry paymasters and wrote a New York Times op-ed (mirror) supporting anti-filesharing measures. Of course, as with most of his opinions, he's dreadfully wrong.
As one of the few "artists" who actually benefit from the current so-called entertainment industry's system, Bono's personal stance could be forgiven. However, for a man who claims to be so caring about the underprivileged, oppressed and most of all poor masses, his opinion on these new laws and the protest against them is anything but altruistic.
Ever eager to protect the young, fledgling songwriters Bono's also concerned about, the US Congress has decided to spend US$30 million (mirror) on fighting "piracy". Because, apparently, everyone with an IQ over 80 knows that non-commercial copyright infringement is a stepping stone towards drug abuse, gang membership and rape. It's a good thing, then, that Congress isn't wasting money on silly things like healthcare, or real piracy - the kind with ships, guns and rocket launchers in which people actually get hurt.
Across the Atlantic, British ISPs fear the cost (mirror) the government's "copyright protection" plans (informally the "please our friends" law) will bring. A cost which will be passed on fully to the customers: they get to pay to be considered criminals who need to be watched 24/7.
To piss even more in their citizens' pints, this new legislation could give the UK government complete control over their subjects' internet use.
You're already paying to be spied on, you might as well pay to only see what your betters in government think is good for you to see. In the as good as dystopian society the United Kingdom has become, no one would expect less.
Always interested in anything important, especially if it means they can get more free dinners at their industry pals' expense, British politicians are also present at the ACTA talks.
However, democratically© elected Members of Parliament - the supposed representatives of the people and their interests - are kept in the dark about the details of the talks and agreements. Supposedly, there is an important need for secrecy - but, if you were a politician, you wouldn't want to be seen holding hands (again) with an industry executive either, right? And it's a great way to do some policy laundering. Nothing but profit.
Meanwhile, British consumer organisation Which? has received over 150 complaints of people who received letters from ACS:Law accusing them of copyright infringement (and, of course, demanding payment to get rid of the threat of charges being brought against them). In several cases, these letters were sent to people who don't even know how to turn on a computer.
The same "proof" ACS:Law uses now to accuse people will be used by the government to automatically consider people guilty of copyright terrorism. But hey, if a private law firm can bully people into paying hundreds of pounds for something they didn't do, why should the government miss out on such an easy quick-cash scheme? Especially if it's the name of goddamn justice itself.
Crossing the Atlantic again, there's still no good news: not a single book went into the public domain in the USA this year; thanks to the retroactive extension of copyright (the "Mickey Mouse" act), forced through by politicians in bed with the various industries' executives and lobbyists.
In most European Union countries it is, thankfully, a bit different - but they could still do a lot better. Seventy years is close to a full lifetime for most people.
Publishers should be forced to hand back the rights to the author after only a few years, and the publication should go into the public domain on the day after the author's death. After all, after expiring, the author - the only person who should profit from his work - has got no use for money anymore.
Copyright law needs to change soon, as right now it's simply too ridiculous. The industry needs to get to grips with the internet and digital distribution - without Digital "Rights" Management.
If they don't, failure upon failure will stack up and law upon freedom-raping law will be imposed upon the stupid, unsuspecting public, simply in the name of nepotism and greed.