Why Is Vodafone Spreading False Copyright Propaganda?
from the the-lies-we-tell-children dept
We’ve gotten used to various copyright industries spreading propaganda about copyright to school children. Nearly all the big copyright trade groups have “educational” curricula that are often not even close to accurate. They leave out things like “fair use” and they include blatantly false statements like “if you didn’t pay for it, you stole it.” Well, we didn’t pay for your propaganda, so…
Still, it’s a bit surprising to see others get into the copyright propaganda campaign as well. The latest, apparently, is telco giant Vodafone. Glyn Moody points us to the news that Vodafone Italy has started a typically inaccurate copyright propaganda campaign that makes false and misleading blanket statements like:
“[Parents and teachers should] explain to students that downloading and sharing a file protected by copyright is a crime”
Later on it repeats claims that all downloads without purchase or any download via P2P is illegal. But, of course, that’s not true. It may be true in some, even many, cases. But that’s not the same thing. If we’re going to teach people copyright law, shouldn’t it at least be accurate?
Filed Under: copyright, propaganda
Companies: vodafone
Comments on “Why Is Vodafone Spreading False Copyright Propaganda?”
This is your brain
This is your brain after you download a song.
Any questions?
Let us not overlook the obvious
Because that is what corporations do every single day, all over the world, and they get away with it every time. Truth-telling is not only discouraged, but avidly punished by their leadership, and anyone on their payrolls with a propensity for honesty will be dealt with in the most severe manner. This is how it has been for a long time, and will be for an even longer time. Pretty simple, if you ask me. Anyone who actually expects a scintilla of truth from them should be in lifelong therapy, if not in restraints.
Oh, good.
Who the hell thought sponsored education was a great idea?
“Parents and teachers should think what we tell them to think. If your children have any questions, gently remind them that jail is an awful place.”
I half-expect to see the NBC shooting star arcing across the television accompanied by the words “The More You’re Told.”
Maybe it is because of the insanity of the politicians who are being bought and sold wholesale by an industry bent on keeping their aging business model functioning at any cost.
Vodafone now has a very powerful card on their side, when the industry accuses them of making profits only because of copyright infringers, they can whip out their handy dandy lawyer approved information campaign and say see… we told them… sue them and leave us alone.
The politician will be faced with a public asking why they are picking on poor Vodafone who have gone above and beyond, and well the media industry just can not pay enough nowadays to get them to commit political suicide.
Later on it repeats claims that all downloads without purchase or any download via P2P is illegal.
So when Blizzard releases an update for World of Warcraft using P2P, the people downloading the update are breaking the law?
Of course they are, because the abstract concept of peer-to-peer filesharing is illegal. It’s against some law… somewhere… probably… Better start seizing domains and throwing people in jail, just to be on the safe side.
Re: Re:
So when Ubuntu releases a new version on BitTorrent and I download it, for free, with the express authorization of Ubuntu and all copyright holders, I’m doing something illegal?
Umm, I have to ask: What are the “fair use” laws in Italy like?
Perhaps some criticism here is warranted, but it should be borne in mind that it is Italy, and not the US, that is the subject of the materials.
It is not beyond the pale that infringement of copyright could be deemed a crime, though one would have to speak with a copyright in Italy to receive an accurate answer.
Perhaps there is a modicum of logic associated with AFTA if it is able to secure some measure of international uniformity that draws upon many of the concepts underlying US law, and particularly the concepts of fair use and the distinctions between criminal and civil infringement.
Fair Use is an accomodation to the First Amendment, the subject matter in the First Amendment not being entrenched in the laws of many foreign nations, icluding many in Europe.
Re: Re:
Rather than just spreading FUD you could have Googled Italian copyright law and found this
“Art. 5.2(b): ?reproductions on any medium made by a natural person for private use? are allowed as long they are performed by the person herself (without the help of third parties), and as long as the reproduction does not imply the circumvention of effective technological measures. The ?fair compensation? for right-holders has been implemented as a bill on devices such as blank CD-ROMs, hard disks, VCR equipment.”
which ratehr blows apart your cooment.
Next time do the research first – then make your comment.
Re: Re: Re:
Amendment 663 to the 1941 iteration of Italy’s copyright law is, to my knowledge, the current state of it national law. Of course there are exceptions/liitations. This is hardly surprising. But, the law itselft is hardly a model of clarity, and this motivates my comment that consultation with one schooled in Italian law is important to understand various facets of the law’s provisions.
My review of several resources discussing 663 did suggest that much more under Italian law is deemed a crime than is the case under US law. It also suggested that the concept of Fair Use under US law is embraced, if at all, on a much more restrictive basis.
I read the provision you focus on, but limiting your comment to one or more specific provisions is hardly a basis to cast aspersions and call a general comment FUD.
Next time I suggest you read an entire statute to get a “feel” for the concepts it embraces before jumping into the fray.
Waiting for more volunteer-sponsored infomercials
Why aren’t we countering this more with our own Internet-based People-powered information/petition campaigns? At least within the US?
The 10th circle of hell -- for and by the non-living
Kids, your generation has been given the greatest learning and creation tool ever known to life-forms on this planet.
USE IT, and go to jail!
— This message sponsored by non-living limited liability corporate proxies protected Constitutionally in virtually all living ways.
One thing to notice, when the shills come here, they will come all together is like they are on the clock.
Rant.
Vodafone is just giving people the ammunition they need to point to copyrights as bad laws.
Copytards clearly think that any use of anything is unauthorized and it is a crime, that low bar if adopted stifles not only free speech but culture itself.
Clearly copytards don’t think people deserve anything and forget they also are the people and will suffer the consequences of their idiocy.
Italy
Considering that Italy’s Prime Minister is a billionaire that owns a bunch of newspapers and other entertainment ventures, this doesn’t surprise me.
A lie...
A lie believed become the truth.
The corporate machines only care about the bottom line. To those ends, they lie, cheat, steal and trample others rights to bring in more of the (not so almighty) dollar.
Fight back with knowledge.
Sounds like the IP Czar calling Streaming Illegal. Misinformed people making policy will be our downfall.
Note from the author of the original article
Greetings,
thanks for your interest in my story. Besides the ones here, I’ve got lots of comments directly or through other website about this story. Rather than pasting always the same, long answer/explanation, that also includes updates from Vodafone, in many different places, I just put it in Of Vodafone, Copyright, Fair Use and Italy”. Thanks for your attention.
Ciao,
M. Fioretti
people will Always use p2p to download whatever they want, FUCK YOU Lamar Smith!!!!!!!!!!!