INDUCE act - really dangerous law

The geniuses in the U.S. Congress are debating a newly drafted act, dubbed the INDUCE act. Needless to say, it is another effort to reshape copyright law in favor of copyright holders. You can get the scoop about INDUCE at the EFF blog.

This is important. As it now stands, the act would criminalize home taping, peer-to-peer filesharing software, and anything which has use potential for copyright infringement. It would also criminalize the act of even pointing someone to any tool capable of committing infringement.

This is important to you. U.S. copyright laws, and intellectual property policy in general, routinely find their way to other countries around the world, packaged in international agreements like the Berne convention and the EUCD draft for a super-DMCA.

Do whatever is in your power to do in order to stop it. Practice civil disobedience if you must. I know I do. Laws like these criminalize the entire population (last time I checked, U.S. filesharers alone were in the 60 million). Laws like these shall not pass, at all. If anything, read Cory Doctorow’s last public address to understand why copyright law should be going the other direction.

Stronger copyrights will only increase the divide between the rich and the poor. Stronger copyrights will not favor a healthier society.