Right, really interesting article there!
The situation in regard of DADVSI has now evolved from fear to hope. During the night between 20th and 21st of December, deputies have passed a bill for a "global license". This bill legalises all peer-to-peer exchange throughout internet providing a reasonable montly fee.
Deputy Marc Le Fur said:
"I have children today aged 14 and 16 for which internet constitutes culture and liberty. They probably download and I am completely unable to control them as I don't understand computer technology as they do. With the current laws, they might be considered as delinquents. Only the global license avoids the risk. For a few euros each month they can have the freedom to download without causing harm to author's rights, as the funds raised will be mutualised and redistributed to the authors.
As it's time now to decide the liberties for the 21st century, let's inspire from Tocqueville for which civil society always prevails. In today's society, for the youth Internet is a space of freedom. Do not restrain their access."
The voting of the bill has been postponed to the next deputy's session (January 17th, 2006).
We dreamed the repressive approach to be abandonned in profit of a complete legalisation, and now it's turned into hope. This is a great expectation for all customers, as they will be able to legally obtain cultural content with a real choice either of the provider and the player, hardware or software.
[There is still a lot of pressure on the government from major's lobbies. For instance Virgin set up a demonstration in the deputy's chamber of how good DRM is, offering free songs - which is considered as bribery regarding French laws.]
The fight is not over, now the 30 most vending French artist and their syndicates and editors are against this P2P legalisation, while a group of 13500 French artists agreed. The petition at EUCD.INFO is still being filled in (with now more than 130.000 signatures), and finally the debate has gone public.
Stay tuned for more news. A good compromise and modern legislation is now a realistic option.
