Astroturf is a pretty nasty thing – it happens when big industry wants to get their point across, but they know they’re not landing their message from a corporate PR standpoint. So instead, they create fake “citizens groups” that are apparently made up of people like you and I.
It appears that Balanced Copyright for Canada is one of these groups. They’re using stock images on their site, seeding out reports that are known to have been commissioned by Entertainment industry groups, and even going as far as to reprint headlines that have been purchased almost like ad placements on sites.
The claims are that balanced copyright will protect creator’s rights and keep jobs in Canada. They do not go into detail as to how that will happen. They don’t touch on the fact that you could face a $5000 fine for making a backup of a DVD so that you kid doesn’t wreck the original. They don’t want to talk about the fact that this bill is virtually useless for consumers because of the digital lock provision.
Canadians like buying media. Sales have been strong in both traditional and digital formats. There is no need for the digital lock provision, and there’s no need for industry reps to lie to us through a faux-grassroots movements.
It’s up to you, as a consumer, not to be fooled by this. Contact your MP and let them know that Digital Locks don’t help artists, they hinder them. Real artists have come out against Bill C-32, based on the digital lock provisions – and if you like the freedom you have with your gadgets you will too.
