http://www.techdirt.com/ Easily digestible tech news.... http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20121126/17190821152/apparently-all-that-stuff-about-needing-sopa-to-go-after-foreign-sites-was-bogus.shtml#c481 Tue, 27 Nov 2012 12:36:48 PST http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20121126/17190821152/apparently-all-that-stuff-about-needing-sopa-to-go-after-foreign-sites-was-bogus.shtml#c481 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120425/00572018643/portuguese-man-convicted-criminal-charges-sharing-three-songs.shtml#c392 Fri, 27 Apr 2012 22:56:47 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120425/00572018643/portuguese-man-convicted-criminal-charges-sharing-three-songs.shtml#c392 https://plus.google.com/u/0/111097426968446299927/posts/Ecca7k5F2E4

I also since discovered some more tidbits in other news stories about this case. Two other people where acquitted by the court because it couldn't be proven they personally did the sharing. And this kid only got convicted for three songs because the prosecution had to present evidence he actually infringed (or "usurped" as our law says) the rights of every single song. Whatever was required to do that, apparently it was to hard or to much of a hassle to do. Even in six years.

This brings a new perspective to the desire of AFP for an Hadopi-style three strikes law. It's not just that it takes years to convict someone, but those pesky criminal courts demand serious evidence! It's *so* much easier to just accuse someone three times, and have the state automatically fine them or cut their internet access. Afterwards they can appeal and prove their innocence if they want to. Much simpler.

I don't even know why we bother to have traffic police and speed radars on the roads. We could all just report each others license plates and have the police issue fines. That would work, right?]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120207/12140117689/portuguese-artists-association-struggles-to-get-even-100-members-list-favor-exorbitant-new-private-copying-levies.shtml#c216 Fri, 17 Feb 2012 01:32:13 PST http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120207/12140117689/portuguese-artists-association-struggles-to-get-even-100-members-list-favor-exorbitant-new-private-copying-levies.shtml#c216 http://www.pcmanias.com/ex-ministra-diz-que-nos-habituaremos-as-novas-taxas/

It's a just a little over 21% (from the levees on hard drives, and other digital media).]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120207/12140117689/portuguese-artists-association-struggles-to-get-even-100-members-list-favor-exorbitant-new-private-copying-levies.shtml#c203 Fri, 17 Feb 2012 01:25:24 PST http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120207/12140117689/portuguese-artists-association-struggles-to-get-even-100-members-list-favor-exorbitant-new-private-copying-levies.shtml#c203 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120104/11012117278/ice-mistakenly-deports-missing-teen-to-colombia.shtml#c1083 Thu, 5 Jan 2012 00:47:18 PST http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120104/11012117278/ice-mistakenly-deports-missing-teen-to-colombia.shtml#c1083 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120104/11012117278/ice-mistakenly-deports-missing-teen-to-colombia.shtml#c689 Wed, 4 Jan 2012 16:33:46 PST http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120104/11012117278/ice-mistakenly-deports-missing-teen-to-colombia.shtml#c689
Shouldn't ICE be deporting them all?]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20111127/22391516905/ex-riaa-boss-ignores-all-criticisim-sopapipa-claims-any-complaints-are-trying-to-justify-stealing.shtml#c2503 Tue, 29 Nov 2011 02:30:49 PST http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20111127/22391516905/ex-riaa-boss-ignores-all-criticisim-sopapipa-claims-any-complaints-are-trying-to-justify-stealing.shtml#c2503 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110917/01561815993/cocaine-ring-used-universal-musics-interscope-label-to-ship-drugs-cash.shtml#c165 Tue, 20 Sep 2011 19:48:43 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110917/01561815993/cocaine-ring-used-universal-musics-interscope-label-to-ship-drugs-cash.shtml#c165 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110906/19381315834/seizing-public-domain-spain-latest-to-try-to-extend-copyright-term-retroactively.shtml#c86 Wed, 7 Sep 2011 23:19:39 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110906/19381315834/seizing-public-domain-spain-latest-to-try-to-extend-copyright-term-retroactively.shtml#c86
Christian Ensgr]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110812/01452715487/oh-no-what-if-more-than-one-shoemaker-makes-shoes-with-red-soles.shtml#c177 Sat, 13 Aug 2011 01:28:55 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110812/01452715487/oh-no-what-if-more-than-one-shoemaker-makes-shoes-with-red-soles.shtml#c177
This guy had to copy others in order to add his own special (red) touch. And others will need to copy him in order to add their own special touches. Start adding intellectual property in fashion design elements and the whole industry will grind to a halt! Fashion designers should be happy that their field is relatively LFZ (Lawyer Free Zone). Just take a look at the tech industry!!!! Fashion designers should NOT be inviting the big sharks to play in their pool...]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110810/12143715467/record-label-says-that-pulling-music-spotify-protects-artists.shtml#c561 Wed, 10 Aug 2011 15:20:51 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110810/12143715467/record-label-says-that-pulling-music-spotify-protects-artists.shtml#c561 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110810/12143715467/record-label-says-that-pulling-music-spotify-protects-artists.shtml#c371 Wed, 10 Aug 2011 13:58:43 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110810/12143715467/record-label-says-that-pulling-music-spotify-protects-artists.shtml#c371
And then when Century Media sees 1000 illegal downloads on the Pirate Bay, it can claim 1 billion dollars in losses! Wow! That will really make the politicians move on anti-piracy legislation!

PS: This is what the labels have been doing for a LONG time. Price their product above what the market will bear, or place it on a market (physical CDs) that their costumers are abandoning, and then complain of unrealistic losses as people turn to more convenient sources.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110808/16303615442/spanish-appeals-court-linking-is-not-infringement.shtml#c241 Tue, 9 Aug 2011 16:35:00 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110808/16303615442/spanish-appeals-court-linking-is-not-infringement.shtml#c241
Portugal (my country) has no Mediterranean coast, so it's not technically Mediterranean. Also Latin does not equal south-american. Italian, French, Spanish and Portuguese are all latin languages and cultures. Latin was the (now dead) language of the Roman Empire which ruled over them all.

Central and south-america is called latin-america because the people speak spanish and portuguese, not the other way around. :)]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110808/16303615442/spanish-appeals-court-linking-is-not-infringement.shtml#c221 Tue, 9 Aug 2011 16:12:45 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110808/16303615442/spanish-appeals-court-linking-is-not-infringement.shtml#c221
Same as with vinyl records. It's not like there is a copyright on the indentations made on the plastic, but as long as music can be "read" back from them, them it is a reproduction/fixation of the work. In practice there isn't much difference between making a recording with a needle and plastic, or the MP3 algorithm and silicon (or magnetized disks or whatever can store 1s and 0s).]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110808/16303615442/spanish-appeals-court-linking-is-not-infringement.shtml#c236 Tue, 9 Aug 2011 16:12:45 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110808/16303615442/spanish-appeals-court-linking-is-not-infringement.shtml#c236
Same as with vinyl records. It's not like there is a copyright on the indentations made on the plastic, but as long as music can be "read" back from them, them it is a reproduction/fixation of the work. In practice there isn't much difference between making a recording with a needle and plastic, or the MP3 algorithm and silicon (or magnetized disks or whatever can store 1s and 0s).]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110808/16303615442/spanish-appeals-court-linking-is-not-infringement.shtml#c206 Tue, 9 Aug 2011 15:55:23 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110808/16303615442/spanish-appeals-court-linking-is-not-infringement.shtml#c206 https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/mafiaafire-redirector/

There is also proposals for an alternative, de-centralized .p2p domain system.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110808/16303615442/spanish-appeals-court-linking-is-not-infringement.shtml#c28 Mon, 8 Aug 2011 22:06:36 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110808/16303615442/spanish-appeals-court-linking-is-not-infringement.shtml#c28 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110808/16303615442/spanish-appeals-court-linking-is-not-infringement.shtml#c20 Mon, 8 Aug 2011 22:05:09 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110808/16303615442/spanish-appeals-court-linking-is-not-infringement.shtml#c20
And let "properly applying liability", due process, human rights and common sense be DAMNED. /sarcasm]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110805/17255615418/tsa-confiscates-pregnant-womans-insulin-ice-packs.shtml#c1123 Mon, 8 Aug 2011 18:22:15 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110805/17255615418/tsa-confiscates-pregnant-womans-insulin-ice-packs.shtml#c1123 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110805/17255615418/tsa-confiscates-pregnant-womans-insulin-ice-packs.shtml#c153 Mon, 8 Aug 2011 09:12:36 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110805/17255615418/tsa-confiscates-pregnant-womans-insulin-ice-packs.shtml#c153