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> > >URGENT! > > * please forward * * please forward * * please forward * > > >REPSONSES REQUIRED TO GOVERNMENT CONSULTATION ON >AMENDING THE COPYRIGHT LAWS TO PREPARE FOR THE >"INFORMATION AGE" > > >The Patent Office, on behalf of the government, have brought forward > proposals to change the UK law on copyright. This has serious impacts on the > way the public and journalists are allowed to use copyright information. > >There is a detailed briefing on this issue at: >http://www.fraw.org.uk/opendir/users_report.html > >The consultation paper, published jointly by the UK Department of Trade and >Industry and the UK Patent Office, is located online at: >http://www.patent.gov.uk/about/consultations/eccopyright/index.htm > >Responses are required by Thursday, October 31st > > >We need as many people as possible to complain about these proposals in order >to raise the political profile - otherwise we risk these proposals being >quickly waived through Parliament just before Christmas - along with the >large amounts of other legislation that get pushed through the House at this >time. > >Comments may be sent by: > >* snail-mail to Teresa Arnesen, Copyright Directorate, The Patent Office, >Harmsworth House, 13-15 Bouverie Street, London EC4Y 8DP > >* e-mail to [log in to unmask] > >* fax to 020 7596 6526/6527 > >...so you have lots of options for sending a response. > >All help on this matter is greatly appreciated. > > >In brief.... > >The law on copyright in the UK is shortly to be revised, and these revisions >could introduce wide-ranging changes to the way we have traditionally >accessed and used information and media/multimedia recordings. > >The main points of the proposed scheme of amendment, proposed by the Patent >Office, are: > >* Amendments to the rules on 'fair dealing' could damage the personal use of >material, and potentially restrict investigative reports from accessing and >using unpublished reports as part of their work, and also prevents local >organisations for raising money at events where they play recorded music. > >* The regulation of 'digital rights management' poses a serious risk to >privacy and personal information due to the poor interaction of controls over >the automated collection of sensitive personal data. > >* The proposals to make copyright infringement a criminal offence require a >means for people to take action against unfounded threats of action in order >to prevent the threat of legal action being used as a method of intimidation. > >* The proposals to allow action for infringement against intermediaries, like >Internet Service Providers, provide a means for rights holders to threaten or >take action against a 'soft target' to remove material online rather than >against the person allegedly committing the infringement. > >The online briefing looks at the implications of these changes. It also >explains the process for objection to these changes -- which must be made by >October 31st 2002. > > > >Thanks for your help > > >Paul Mobbs ><[log in to unmask]> > > >- - -- >- - ------------------- > >"We are not for names, nor men, nor titles of Government, nor are we for >this party nor against the other but we are for justice and mercy and >truth and peace and true freedom, that these may be exalted in our nation, >and that goodness, righteousness, meekness, temperance, peace and unity >with God, and with one another, that these things may abound." >(Edward Burroughs, 1659 - from 'Quaker Faith and Practice') > > >Paul Mobbs, Mobbs' Environmental Investigations, >3 Grosvenor Road, Banbury OX16 5HN, England >tel./fax (+44/0)1295 261864 > >email - [log in to unmask] >website - http://www.fraw.org.uk/mobbsey.html >public key - http://www.fraw.org.uk/keylist.html >