Dave Horvath
6 Dec 2006 8:31
The British government commissioned a report entitled The Gowers Report which serves to modernize current copyright infringement laws to match the changes seen by the advent of the Internet.
The report states there should be new practices followed against copyright infringement, it does stand by the consumer in stating that the consumer should be able to move, alter or modify their purchased music for their own personal needs how they see fit; such as from CD to MP3. In addition, it recommends that the copyright protection statute of limitations currently set to 50 years, be extended. They'd like to see intellectual properties protected for a proposed 95 years. With copyright protection only at 50 years, works that were released from the UK in the 1950's would soon be open to the general public to do with what they wish. Apparently the music industry is interested in still making a profit after that much time as passed.
The report also brings up the point of punishment. They'd like to see the punishment for people who deliver and distribute intellectual propterty such as music or films on the Internet to be just as harsh as the bootleggers who make hard copies and sell them on the street. Currently, Internet related distribution faces up to 2 years in prison, while selling hard copies warrants 10 years. The reports calls for these two crimes to be looked at equally and punished evenly.
Several British organizations are against this report such as the BPI (British Phonographic Industry) and The Association of Independent Music. A spokesman for AMI stated, "By tidying up a small part of the copyright law, we believe Gowers may well be opening the floodgates to uncontrolled and unstoppable private copying and sharing from person to person, as well as format to format."
Source:
BBC