This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.
Business News Legal Top Stories
US creators call on Obama to act on copyright protection
By CMU Editorial | Published on Wednesday 30 September 2009
Is the three-strikes debate about to kick off properly in the US?
As previously reported, when the Recording Industry Association Of America announced last year it was ending its programme of self-harming litigation against individual file-sharers it said it would follow the lead of its European counterparts and try and persuade the internet service providers to take a more proactive role in policing piracy.
Given ISPs are generally not keen on taking on such a role, it is likely the content industries in the US, like in Europe, will need new laws to be introduced if they want the net firms to start restricting or suspending the net access of file-sharers.
It is perhaps with that in mind that the so called Copyright Alliance has published an open letter to Prez Obama calling on him to help America’s creative industries to protect their copyrights in the online domain.
Without being too specific about how they want Obama and his government to help, the letter observes: “We are under assault. Our rights to control the distribution, use, and reproduction of our works in our vibrant digital age are dismissed by many who do not understand the value we bring to society. They tell us to work harder, create better, and give our works away. Some think that they should control our works and that they should be able to appropriate, perform, and copy them how they please, without our consent, benefit, or participation”.
It continues: “Mr President, hear our call. We know you understand the value our creative contributions bring to our society and economy, and we know you can encourage our citizens to respect our rights. Please pursue policies supportive of the rights of artists and the encouragement of our creative efforts. Without the proper respect for our rights and works today, it will become even more difficult for us to create in the future”.
Some 7000 creators, from across the creative industries, have so far put their name to the letter. The Alliance hopes Obama’s recent appointment of Victoria Espinel as an IP Enforcement Coordinator will put online copyright issues on the US government’s agenda.
Of course, as previously reported, the big copyright debate in the US of late has centered more on moves to make terrestrial radio stations pay royalties to record companies – something that, for historic reasons, has never really happened in the States.
