Quote:
Originally Posted by pietvo
In the Netherlands we have such a tax (levy) only for writable CD's and DVD's.
PLEASE NOTE: This is not a legal advice. IANAL.
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Like you, IANAL
In Canada, as I understand it, we pay a similar levy and have done for sometime. It also applies to portable media players (MP3 and video) depending on the size of their HD. It's created a "grey zone" as I often hear it called. It is 'not illegal' to download music; I'm not sure if movies and ebooks are covered by this. This is because, in theory, artists are covered by the rampant piracy that is the only reason people buy cds/dvds/etc. As mentioned above, though, the accountability for where this money has gone is somewhat in question.
Note, I've said, 'not illegal', which isn't to say it's legal. It's undefined because of how the levy was setup - that explains it being a grey zone. It is illegal, as you mentioned, to upload/distribute music (and other) at this time.
Please, if any Canadian lawyers can better edumacate me on this, speak up, but this is my understanding of the current situation (and why Canadians haven't been beset by all the lawsuits seen in the US and GB (?).
I've read suggestions of simply adding a $5 or $10 fee to broadband internet access which, at current levels, would provide MORE compensation to artists (if they could figure out fair distribution of the $) than they currently earn in the present system by sales alone. I'd support that - however, I can understand why those who do not download and would not download (for moral reasons or just because they don't listen to music) would resent things. I myself resent paying for a levy on dvds and cds which, primarily, I use for my own photography and sharing of personal data/work with others - not for music at all.