I am pleased that you have not dismissed my comment, thank you so much for that. I am also pleased that you and I have some common agreement here.

There is a problem – you are right – and it is a matter for us to find some way to sort this out with the NZ Government. It would appear that you and I are not the only people sharing this concern at the moment. Thank you for alerting me to the issue.

I understand that pornography is ‘a world away’ from this. But how we are dealing with that matter, is as fraught with problems to do with the ignorance of authorities as the one discussed here.

Ka kite
from Middle-earth

There are currently quite a few people in NZ aiming to raise the awareness that there is an issue and a problem with this Section 92a.

Copyright is an increasingly complex issue these days and I think the ‘industries’ are simply not keeping up with changing technology and attitudes.

One prong of preventing massive illegal downloads is to make *legal* purchase and download of material easier, and to *not* lock up material in ways that encourage even those aiming to pay their fair share to break a law to actually read / listen / watch.

In addition, those who are setting out to simply rip off the work of others and redistribute it for their own profit must be found out and brought to justice. That applies whether they’re the illegal downloaders on the Internet, or those who sell counterfeit ‘label’ clothes and accessories at flea markets.

There’s also education required to let people know what is fair and what is not. When I first starting using the Internet it appeared that anything online was there for sharing, use and re-use (even if it wasn’t). People are gradually realising they can’t just download a photo and use it elsewhere without first checking the rights, for example.

I do think that if laws are applied to protect copyright then they must make clear what is and is not acceptable, and follow due process where someone is accused, facts are presented, a judgement takes place and then a fair penalty (if relevant) is applied. We can’t go straight from accusation to penalty without the steps in between – that’s what used to be called a lynch mob.

As for pornography – that’s a whole separate issue from copyright matters. It’s a world away.

Unfortunately pornography runs like a disease through every aspect of our lives. Those who create, sell and buy porn do it in every single way they can find. The Internet is just yet another channel, along with books, magazines, TV, phones, movies, — anything and everything is considered fair game by pornographers.

I am aware of the ignorance surrounding the use of Internet based equipment, especially by authorities. I’m also aware of the ‘newness’ of copyright issues to do with digital data. These can be real problem-causing situations for you and me – copyright to do with digital data only came into being about 15 years ago (1993 I think).

Do you think it would be any better if these matters were ‘legalised’? I mean, would it be better for you and me for matters of alleged copyright offending to be dealt with in the courts?

I raise this, because at the moment in the World, there is a real crisis where piratising video and audio data has become a multi-billion dollar industry. A component of that piratising is practiced by children through illegal filesharing etc. There is a move, globally, to clamp down on this in a way that is attempting to educate the young offenders rather than prosecute, which is an alternative.

In New Zealand the incidence of this is less so than in the rest of the world. But the potential is there for it to increase. It is currently being monitored and to some extent curtailed by collaborative action involving the police and other authorities. And there is a need for the Police to be on our side with this.

Having said all that, copyright issues are really only components of Internet misuse. We also have huge multi-billion dollar pornography rings that are causing real concern, and quite rightly, all over the world. Again, New Zealand is less affected by this but it is still there in this country.

My philosophy is that we have to work on these issues collaboratively. The them and us approach rarely fruits with any usefulness.

What means do you suggest we use to bring awareness (to all parties) that there ARE issues here? These are issues of copyright infringement AND wrongful accusation. There is a need for fair procedures to be put in place. There is a need for matters to be dealt with legally and fairly when it comes to the provision of this (extremely new) service, the Internet, to society.

As I said at the beginning of my first comment, “I share your concerns”. I’m just not so sure that knocking Parliament is the most appropriate way to go about solving them.

K a kite
from Middle-earth

Innocent people do sometimes get locked up, but there are processes to follow – appeal, new evidence and so on.

The whole judicial process allows us to say with some confidence that people who have been found guilty and served up a penalty have at least had a fair hearing, the case has been proven, and a fair sentence has been passed.

In this case Copyright holder A says: “she stole my works several times”. The next step is a requirement that the ISP disconnect the alleged offender.

In between there’s no requirement of proof, no hearing by a disinterested third party, and no contemplation by a wise and experienced judge of an appropriate penalty.

I share your concerns.

Frankly, the same can be said for any wrongful accusation. There are things that the Government (Crown?) can accuse me of that may result in action that’s far worse than losing my Internet connection.

I could be wrongfully accused of rape, manslaughter, murder, arson, terrorism . . . the list goes on. If I am wrongfully found guilty of the wrongful accusation, I would end up wrongfully in prison. In that position, the Internet is small concern to me.

Ka kite anō
from Middle-earth