Japan passes antipiracy legislation with harsh penalties for downloaders

That's insane. I wonder how this relates to real crimes.

My question is, how many people in the Japanese legislature were bought off by Big Media? Judging by the "large majorities" comment, I'd speculate that the number is quite high. Guess entertainment isn't the only culture the US has exported to Japan: we gave 'em our political culture, too.

I think sooner or later this will happen also here in EU, ACTA is coming soon .
I still have no idea what ACTA exactly is. However, I don't care.

Hmm, using a sledgehammer (or perhaps even a nuke) to crack a nut.

Japan in line for a FTA with the US??

And the pirates...they just yawn....ehh...that all they say... like they could give a *(^&(& about antipiracy laws. They are just like the MPAA/RIAA/DODD industry a do nothing industry that never seems to think but with their bunghole thinking instead. That kinda legislation never does anyone any good or even fix the problem corrupt politicians and industry that caused the problem to begin in the first place....

I don't quite understand how countries are moving to such severe penalties for copyright infridgement.

With most countries carrying massive debtloads and overcrowded prison systems. Is copyright infridgement really one of the crimes that is so bad people deserve to be put in jail?

It seems like the punishment is far outweighing the crimes these days. I kind of look at downloading pirated content to be in the same area as shoplifting. Yet downloading something, rather than stealing it from a store, carries a much more severe punishment.

I agree Zod, although you are downloading a copy is not as bad as shoplifting a physical item and denying the store of selling that item.
The Big Companies have bought what they want from corrupt Governments and Politicians and are now getting taxpayers to pay for most of their companies costs for enforcement of their Intellectuial (?) Property, so we still pay either way.

In most countries lawmakers and other such government officials do not have to be bought because most if not all of them are shareholders in the manufacturing industry, and passing such laws or legislation means they will benefit in the long run as stocks rise which in turn eliminates the chance of being accused of being on the take.

Just my .02¢

SJ

Yay, I can post again. Thanks for adding the LOGIN button, guys.

Okay, back to business. This is retarded!! You get punished more harshly for a virtual theft than a physical one? C'mon, is there a room is a sub-basement somewhere with a bunch of nimwits sitting around a table just coming up with these ideas? Like a think tank, but only the opposite? It scares me that with the world still teetering on the edge of economic collapse, especially in Europe, nimwit government officials can find the time to come up with more ways to suck up to the MPAA/RIAA.

All it takes is one 85 year old grandmother to get handed a 10 year prison sentence for illegally downloading "Appetite for Destruction" and people will crowd the streets in protest.

What I find ridiculous is that these people are handing down sentences far greater than for those that commit violent crimes. Digital piracy is not even theft in the real sense of the word. If I remove an orange from the grocery store the store can no longer make a profit on that orange. If I download a game, the developer still has the ability to make a profit by selling that same exact game. Poachers that kill animals on the endangered list get a slap on the wrist. These companies make multi billion dollars a year--when will it be enough? And please do not bring up small companies that have to close their doors. In the eighties long before digital piracy, small gaming companies went out of business--if you look at the statisics most small companies fail anyway.

And don't forget all those poor struggling artists and actor's they tell us about who get paid Millions for a few weeks work might have to fogo the purchase of another Holiday Mansion or a another Jet aircraft or another Ferrari to add to their collection.

I wish I was struggling like that !

Yeah, thats true!!!!!!!!!!!!

That's the sad truth most are on the take already to begin with. Maybe if they were exposed and shown their connections to the lobbyists I would say for sure they would back track on their votes....

Actually that artists-aka music artists don't make the money or get it the studios get it first before it even gets to the music artists gets any and those that are successful are far and few and are the big names only aka Madonna for one. So don't think the artists are the problem look toward the CEO and Corporations they are the one taking the pie and more before the struggling artists even get any. Why do you think some are now turning to the internet and now are making decent money to live off and getting more name recognition??? You sound more like a MPIAA/MPAA/DODD propaganda machine rather then someone looking at the root of the problem Corporation GREED caused piracy to happen.

The thing is I doubt if they can be prosecuted for being on the take because they are shareholders, as far as I know there is no law that states that lawmakers and other government officials can't own stocks.

Even though one could say there is a conflict of interest there it can be very hard to prove, especially when most companies own other businesses under various names and dividend's are or can be paid through what is better known as 'Red Tape'

Tis just my .02¢

SJ