I would like us (CLUE) to discuss the possibility of signing onto the
position paper of "The Business Coalition for Balanced Copyright".

http://googlepublicpolicy.blogspot.com/2008/02/what-is-balanced-approach-to-copyright.html

Paper is at:
https://services.google.com/blog_resources/google_bcbc_position_paper.pdf

It would be helpful if CLUE members/supporters would voice their
views, and then from this the executive can make a decision.

I have read the policy. While I have questions around "Making
available and distribution rights" which I added to the BLOG, I am
otherwise in agreement with the statements.

- Statements about fair dealing, TPMs, and ISP liability are
consistent with our existing policy statement.
http://cluecan.ca/policy/copyright

- We didn't discuss "making available and distribution" in the past,
but with some clarifications I believe we can sign on.

- The statement on "private copying" is more consistent with what
other members of CLUE think of than my own personal views (I'm not
against compulsory licensing in general. See:
http://blogs.itworldcanada.com/insights/2008/01/28/analysing-when-copyright-levies-a-good-idea-and-when-they-are-a-very-bad-idea/
)

- Avoiding liability for technical processes follows from our past
discussions of time, space, device and format shifting -- in this case
extending the same sensible policies to larger entities (Broadcasters
communicating from copies on hard disks rather than original physical
media, ISPs caching/indexing, etc)

- The section on "Penalties to fit the behavior" is something I
believe we can all agree on, given the act currently treats as identical
for-profit commercial "pirates" and non-profit single moms whose
children share.

--
Russell McOrmond, Internet Consultant:
Please help us tell the Canadian Parliament to protect our property
rights as owners of Information Technology. Sign the petition!
http://www.digital-copyright.ca/petition/ict/

"The government, lobbied by legacy copyright holders and hardware
manufacturers, can pry my camcorder, computer, home theatre, or
portable media player from my cold dead hands!"
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