Russian President Skeptical Of Today's Copyright Laws
from the outdated-and-obsolete dept
Here's a story from the G8 Summit that apparently didn't get very much attention in the mainstream press. It seems that, while most of the countries' leaders expressed support for greater internet regulations when it came to copyright issues, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev questioned the validity and necessity of such laws. Part of the G8 event was an attempt to put together specific recommendations on "internet governance" with the suggested text concerning intellectual property reading:"With regard to the protection of intellectual property, in particular copyright, trademarks, trade secrets and patents, we recognize the need to have national laws and frameworks for improved enforcement. We are thus renewing our commitment to ensuring effective action against violations of intellectual property rights in the digital arena, including action that addresses present and future infringements."Straight out of the RIAA/MPAA playbook, of course.
And the only one willing to point out that this made little sense, apparently, was Dmitry Medvedev, who pushed back:
"The declaration reflects an absolutely conservative position that intellectual property rights should be protected according to the existing conventions," said Medvedev. "No one questions that, but I have repeatedly stated that, unfortunately, those conventions were written 50 or almost 100 years ago, and they are unable to regulate the whole complex of relations between the copyright owner and users."I think the final sentence may be accurate, though, I'm sure that heavy lobbying from the entertainment industry impacts their views as well...
Characteristically unafraid to ruffle his fellow leaders' feathers, Medvedev continued "Unfortunately, this was not included in the declaration because, in my opinion, my colleagues have a more conservative opinion than is necessary at the moment. Or maybe they just don't use the Internet and have little understanding of it."
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Filed Under: copyright, dmitry medvedev, g8
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Dear Mike
Signed,
Friendly neighborhood RIAA lobbyist
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It's like asking a drug kingpin what he thinks of street dealers. He won't admit knowing them, but he will admire their spunk (and collect money from them all).
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The internet means that the playing field is often defined by the worst players, not the best.
It isn't about profits, at least not directly. It's about economic shifting, trading dollar industries in the western world for penny industries in the East. Russian doesn't produce any content of note. When was the last time you watched a great Russian TV show or boogied your ass off to a hot new dance track from Siberia? They are not producers, they are consumers, and in a consumer only market, ignoring the rules of the road (copyright) is good for your economy.
Attempting to shift the burden of enforcment to the producers (as you suggest) is akin to asking car makers to provide police and enforce traffic laws. Governments exist to enforce the rules of the road and help create and maintain sustainable situations. If we pushed the burden of doing so always to the producer, we would be pretty much where Russia is today, screwed and living in cold apartments with terrible wall paper.
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No. It's not. That's a terrible analogy and you should feel terrible.
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Basic economics says that Russia has no interest in stopping piracy because they have no econmic benefits in doing so.
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Insulting a whole nation now are we - and as usual based on your own ignorance! Russia has many producers - it's just that (unlike the west) they sell their stuff online at sensible prices - see rumvi.com.
I have bought more music from there in the last year than anywhere else
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You sir, are an idiot.
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"What is this international network contraption i've heard my grand children talking about? Does it make me money, if not why not? Tubes you say, how quaint."
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Oh snap
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Re: Oh snap
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Re: Obligatory Joke
Okay, okay.
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Actually, he's skeptical of century old copyright laws being applied to today's technology.
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Let me help you with a simple Google search:
http://www.google.com/search?source=ig&hl=en&rlz=&q=russian+researchers&a q=f&aqi=g1g-v2&aql=&oq=
You ignorant and/or racist [insert accepted insult here].
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Please provide some documentation for your statement. It seems a tad ridiculous as it stands.
Thanks.
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Only in America could we call the country that produced the following:
1. The Nord Stream
2. The Aviation Thermobaric Bomb
3. The Orbitrap
4. Space Tourism
5. Underwater assault rifles
6. Tetris (You're damn right I'm including it here)
7. The Typhoon Class submarine
8. Electron cooling
9. The Space Rover
10. Supersonic Transport
11. The space toilet
12. and oh, I don't know, human motherfucking space flight
as a country that doesn't create, innovate, or invent.
Are you willfully trying to come off as the world's most ethnocentric pile of douche leftovers, or does it just come naturally to you?
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You bitching about Russia is like a gaming geek betiching about 'how misunderstood' he is. It's given that you'll do it, but it won't get you very far (not even to first base).
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According to Russia's own History - they invented everything. This is true of all nations - as a patriotic Brit, I of course believe that we invented everything. However from where I'm standing Russia's claims look a lot more convincing than the US's.
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Copyright Laws Dead?
Anonymous Coward: Medvedev's motives may not be as bleak as you think they are.
We already have the technologies in place to enforce copyright protections globally; as they have been known to be in the past. The issue of the protection of original ideas in the form of music, art, and literature are well covered by law already. "Intellectual Property" is a concept that has only developed in the internet age. But when we want to apply past history to the future; we often fail in discovering the appropriate path to take. So, what is the best path? The one that balances concerns of ownership with fairness and equality of benefit is the best one to pursue. I am not defending any point of view without sufficient evidence of the good will of the intent.
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Even in Soviet Russia, they realize the US is becoming a tyranny of control freaks.
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