.
Okay,
I'll say it now. This is a long post.
Copyright
is a bugbear of mine. Many friends have heard my stance on pirate tv/movie/book
download sites. And yes, I waited months for Doctor Who and didn't download it
illegally (If I was a GOT fan, I would wait also - or pay for Foxtel to view it
legally). I also refuse pirated copies of eagerly awaited movies. Illegal
downloads only serve to line the pockets of pirating companies and take jobs
away from the actual creators.
This
popped up on my feed today: http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/productivity-commission-calls-for-free-import-of-books-copyright-shakeup-20160428-goh806.html
On
the face of it, the new (reduced) copyright proposals may look like a good deal
(for consumers).
However
it is only the corporations who will win in the end. Free content for them to
earn more money (the reason why I will not write for Huffington post).
It's
not just writers, artists and creators who will suffer. Think about it: If your
favourite tv show can't earn it's keep, it will be axed. It's happened
overseas. It's happened here.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/inquirer/creative-community-rallies-against-planned-copyright-law-changes/news-story/848dfbb08c27898b96110e12638406f4
Imagine
if all the work you've done in your job was wiped off your record. Long service
leave? What experience? Degree? Your hard work doesn't count after five/ten
years. It may save the company money but it robs you of income.
What
if someone copies your older work and uses it to get that promotion? Fair use?
Of course not.
Extreme
examples maybe, but this proposal means this to me, to other writers, to
creators.
Put
yourself in our place. It can take years to write, draw, create. You put your
soul into it. It is your career, your job. It is what pays your bills.
Then
you are robbed of your income, your livelihood five, ten, fifteen years after
it is published. This could apply to any intellectual property such as computer
progams.
Good
news for Australians? Not really.
Overseas
copyright still exists for 50-70 years after the author's death. Why should
Australians be disadvantaged? Our work would be available to to anyone who
wants to make money from our hard work - like Google (they've paved the way in
a recent court case http://theconversation.com/how-to-protect-authors-after-google-books-wins-its-fair-use-case-again-49363
and are poised to make more money of authors).
The
video in the original link claims the commercial life of a song or book is about five years. This is old data. With ebooks and long-term online libraries, books can be
bought and sold after 5 years - until it is removed from online sale. The
writer can earn money on their books until then.
Creators
need copyright protection.
Many
writers already choose to produce some works as free ebooks or share online -
for their readers, for the public. That is THEIR choice. Take away their
copyright protection and these (already free to the public) works are able to
be snafu-ed by corporations who can then
make money on sharing the same free books online. Take away that choice and how
many writers will reconsider their decision?
I
do agree with changes with regards to ORPHAN works - where the author has died,
dependents can't be found or works were never published. This won't effect the
author's livelihood. But using the same watered down copyright laws to cover
living authors is effectively stealing from them. (There's that word again.) At
least wait until their dead, please!
How
many artists, creators will stop creating if they can't earn (and keep
earning). Quality will fall. In the end readers and viewers will be suffer.
This
decision has the potential to cost Australians their job and cost the tax payer
more in the long term.
Consider
this:
http://www.alrc.gov.au/publications/4-case-fair-use-australia/arguments-against-fair-use-australia
The
full draft can be found here:
http://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/current/intellectual-property/draft
Please
support your local creators so they can continue to create for you.
Have
your say here: http://www.pc.gov.au/feedback/publication-feedback
http://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/current/intellectual-property/make-submission#lodge
Comments
for the proposal close on 3rd June.
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