Wednesday 27 May 2009

Who are the good guys?

Comhem, a broadband supplier here, have been running a marketing campaign recently with the carrot being set top boxes with built in recording capability. Nice. But so far as I know the rights they have for showing films doesn't extend to allowing you the right to copy copyright material. It's an accepted practice, but that's not quite the same thing...

Compare this business to the Pirate Bay.

Comhem promotes and sells a service where a key benefit is being able to record copyright works. They provide you with the media direct to your home and they provide you with the hardware needed to make the copies.

The Pirate Bay on the other hand don't provide copyright material - they facilitate your search for material by providing links. They don't get paid by the people doing the downloading... And they certainly don't provide the hardware to do it.

One of these two business models attracts the unwanted attention of media company lawyers... But not the one actively promoting a business buillt on copying broadcast material.

There is of course one significant difference between these two businesses - one of them is a major media industry customer - but that doesn't really have a bearing on whether they are encouraging breach of copyright does it. It's the principle that counts... Isn't it?

Sittng at home, does it make a difference if I copy from the video channel, or from the web?

This copyright thing.... Isn't it due for reform?

Privacy First:Piratpartiet are standing in the EU elections, coming soon at a polling booth near you!

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