[A2k] Japan outlaws downloading of copyright-infringing files, even if for personal use

[Pranesh Prakash]

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Some disturbing news from Mike Masnick of Techdirt:
<http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20090616/1544325254.shtml>

Plenty of countries have reasonably pointed out that the entire point
behind copyright laws was to protect again commercial for-profit copying
-- and thus, private, non-commercial personal use copying really
shouldn't be covered by copyright laws. Of course, for an entertainment
industry hell-bent on filing lawsuits against people rather than
adapting to the marketplace, this is a serious, serious problem. So, the
recording industry has been lobbying hard in any country that carves out
an exception for private copying,  trying to make it illegal.
Unfortunately, it appears they've won in Japan. A new copyright law has
been passed that [1]specifically says that private, non-commercial
copying is infringing (via [2]Cybeardjm). This really isn't all that
surprising, given that Japan has also been pushed on [3]copyright
extension and a recent court ruling found that [4]uploading your own
content for personal storage could be infringement. Still, it's yet
another victory for entertainment industry lobbyists who will do
anything possible to pass laws to protect old business models.

[1]
http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/content_display/industry/e3iecfa450e38f03b7755419a073c71750d
[2] http://twitter.com/cybeardjm/statuses/2195784230
[3] http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20071106/182419.shtml
[4] http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20070529/005749.shtml

>From Billboard:
[snip]
The new statute will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2010 but contains several
caveats that raise the question of how it will be enforced. The user
must be aware that the files were illegally uploaded and the new law
does not stipulate any fine or jail term for contravening it.
[/snip]

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Pranesh Prakash
Programme Manager
Centre for Internet and Society
W: http://cis-india.org | T: +91 80 40926283

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