[kwlug-disc] are you going to be a criminal?
unsolicited
unsolicited at swiz.ca
Mon Jun 7 00:39:35 EDT 2010
Bob Jonkman wrote, On 06/07/2010 12:13 AM:
> Andrew Kohlsmith (mailing lists account) wrote:
>> Format shifting is also fair use. Being able to watch it on a DVD
>> player of my
>> own making is also fair use.
>
> Of course, if we're going to be analyzing a legal document (like a
> pending bill) we should be using the right terminology.
>
> "Fair Use" is a U.S. exemption to copyright which does not apply in
> Canada. Canada has "Fair Dealing", which covers only five explicit
> exceptions:
>
> Review
> Criticism
> Research
> Private Study
> News Reporting
>
> There is no Fair Dealing for format shifting, time shifting, satire,
> parody or watching DVDs on a player of your own creation (you must pay a
> license fee on the order of tens of thousands of dollars to the DVD Copy
> Control Association, otherwise you're infringing by making a copy of the
> deCSS software or firmware).
>
> Even if your use of copyrighted material falls under one of the Fair
> Dealing provisions you may still be infringing depending on the amount
> of material you copy, the length of time you intend to use it, whether a
> non-infringing alternative was available. It is also possible that the
> Review and News Reporting provisions only apply to paid journalists.
> Bloggers may be infringers if they quote an excerpt of a copyrighted
> work on their book/film/music review blog...
>
> Format Shifting was declared as a Fair Use in the U.S. after the Sony
> vs. Universal trial, the "Betamax Case". Of course, you may have meant
> that it is *unfair* _not_ be allowed to format shift or watch a DVD on a
> player of your own making, and I would agree. But it's not Fair Use in
> Canada...
OUCH!
OK, so where does our impression ('urban legend'?) come from where we
feel we have a right to make a backup copy? [With the predication that
we would normally only play the backup copy so we can't possibly harm
the original. So, backup a DVD to .mpg, and play the .mpg on the
computer rather than play the DVD in the computer - with the output of
the computer going to the HDTV, if you're so inclined.]
Fair use / Fair dealing ... <sigh> Makes me remember that one has to
be careful driving in other jurisdictions - that right turn on a red
light could be unexpectedly expensive.
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