Apr 21, 2011
Legalize Non-Commercial Copying
From Ken Takusagawa, Free Culture Senate Candidate:
What is the problem this idea addresses, why does it matter?
Copyright protections and enforcement are a major roadblock to a free internet. The invention of the Internet and the increased cheapness of tracking technology has led to a massive crackdown on non-commercial copying that is historically unprecedented.
What is the goal of the idea?
Copyright law should be should be changed to make non-commercial copying completely legal. Doing so would ensure and preserve a free and open internet by encouraging creativity and communication.
How does the idea work?
By making non-commercial use legal, the we can fully realize the vast potential for communication, collaboration, and the democratization of information though, for example, peer-to-peer sharing and non-profit electronic libraries. Since public opinion is likely to support the legalization of non-commercial copying which has historically been legal, at least de facto, legalizing non-commercial use will be a return to that system, which produced tremendous artistic and cultural innovation, challenging the notion that diminished copyright protection will hurt creativity. Although many individuals may support this legal change, content owners will not, and may need to be compensated for the loss of existing protections. A tax on internet bandwidth is a possible source of such compensation.
