Here's something I didn't know till my sonpointed it out to me last night...apparently downloading music inCanada is legal, so long as the user isn't also uploading. Here's somesnippets from an article from CNET:
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Downloading copyrighted music from peer-to-peer networks is legal inCanada, although uploading files is not, Canadian copyright regulatorssaid in a ruling released Friday.
In the same decision, the Copyright Board of Canada imposed agovernment fee of as much as $25 on iPod-like MP3 players, putting thedevices in the same category as audio tapes and blank CDs. The moneycollected from levies on "recording mediums" goes into a fund to paymusicians and songwriters for revenues lost from consumers' personalcopying. Manufacturers are responsible for paying the fees and oftenpass the cost on to consumers.
The peer-to-peer component of the decision was prompted by questionsfrom consumer and entertainment groups about ambiguous elements ofCanadian law. Previously, most analysts had said uploading was illegalbut that downloading for personal use might be allowed.
"As far as computer hard drives are concerned, we say that for the timebeing, it is still legal," said Claude Majeau, secretary general of theCopyright Board.
The decision is likely to ruffle feathers on many sides, fromconsumer-electronics sellers worried about declining sales tointernational entertainment companies worried about the spread ofpeer-to-peer networks.
In its decision Friday, the Copyright Board said uploading ordistributing copyrighted works online appeared to be prohibited undercurrent Canadian law.
However, the country's copyright law does allow making a copy forpersonal use and does not address the source of that copy or whetherthe original has to be an authorized or noninfringing version, theboard said.
Under those laws, certain media are designated as appropriate formaking personal copies of music, and producers pay a per-unit fee intoa pool designed to compensate musicians and songwriters. Most audiotapes and CDs, and now MP3 players, are included in that category.Other mediums, such as DVDs, are not deemed appropriate for personalcopying.
Computer hard drives have never been reviewed under that provision,however. In its decision Friday, the board decided to allow personalcopies on a hard drive until a fee ruling is made specifically on thatmedium or until the courts or legislature tell regulators to ruleotherwise.
"Until such time, as a decision is made on hard drives, for the timebeing, (we are ruling) in favor of consumers," Majeau said.
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This ruling was made in 2003, and (so far as I know) is still upheld inCanada. There's also a few other countries that have made it legal,although it seems the United States isn't included.
Here's the link to the full article:
http://news.com.com/2100-1025_3-5121479.html
