They might be just right. The people who are resposible for the misinformation are actually IFPI member ÄKT and ministry of culture. Both of them are claiming that the new law doesnt make you a criminal if you copy the music you have bought to mp3 players. Lyhty (creative workers union) made a press statement and soon Ministy of culture followed. The 'good' people at ministry of culture commented the law in several interviews.
Monday 12.9
First Jorma Walden said that it is forbidden to copy your CDs to mp3 if you have to circumvent technical protection measure. He continues "If you can accidently open the work in Windows with a Word or with other program, protection isn't too strong"
Walden continues: "There are services where you can buy your music in digital form. Markets could provide products where the music is copyable to portable players. This is a new way of getting music."
Isnt CD a way to buy music in digital form? The format and copyright law allow you to copy the music to private use. Nothing new about it. I guess there is nothing new that music is being sold several times to consumers.
Wednesday 14.9
After two days the message was some what different. Marko Rajamäki lawyer responsible for ministry's copyright PR sent very mixed signals: "We have to take into account that the circumvention for private use is not punished. The message of the law is that it is not allowed." Confused? You are not the only one.
Friday 16.9
Helsingin Sanomat the biggest news paper made a big story of the whole farce. Ministy of cultures head copyright huncho Jukka Liedes continued to with the 'great pr' strategy: "It only forbidden to circumvent the protection in order to copy the product. No punishment would follow for individuals. Rights owner could still demand a compensation for the copying if she would know about it."
Wednesday 20.9.
Jukka Liedes and his team gave up and acknowledged that the law has remedies against private copying. There is a fine in § 56e set for the person responsible for circumventing the protection measure.
I dont even want to start with the FUD that the IFPI lobby has spreaded. At least two letter were sent to the members of parliament saying that artists are for DRM. Both were sent with out the knowledge of at least some of the artists.
Update: 
Monday 26.9.2005
Waldén is commenting the new law again. This time he says in Digitoday that "As far as I could see copying to private use done within §12 is not copyright violation." Yes. He is right the private copying section 12§ remained unchanged. Waldén refused to comment why ministry of culture hasnt removed their press release that has the wrong interpretation of the law from their website.
Seems that Digitoday is starting to see the comedy in the process. Their story had picture of a monkey with a text: "Copyright law has a lot to think about."
I don't know if it was just an accident but the name of one of the officials was in bold under the picture.
Comments