[LINK] Guilty without Trial

[Tom Koltai]

Linkers, recentely I responded to the Governments request for comments
to promote a successful Digital future for Australia.
One of the questions related to the safe harbour provisions of the
copyright act and my response to can be found here:- 
http://www.perceptric.com/blog/_archives/2009/2/17/4095775.html

The New Zealand government is about to establish very similar
legislation across the Tasman.

Story -
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/technology/news/article.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10
551701

ISPs will be forced to take down internet connections and websites of
anyone accused (not convicted) <http://creativefreedom.org.nz/s92.html>
of copyright infringement. 

The Australian Safe Harbour Legislation already has one very public
victim - Internet Entrepreneur and Servie Provider, Michael Malone and
iiNet.

The NZ Representative for APRA states - the furore over the new rules
was overstated.
The copyright holders group - which is led by Hollywood's movie, TV and
record industry - was not out to prosecute a teenager downloading the
odd song off the internet, he said. (
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/technology/news/article.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10
557670)

This appears to be in contrast with:
http://blogs.zdnet.com/igeneration/?p=1018&tag=nl.e550
and
http://www.p2pnet.net/story/18547
Zack has it right and I'm highlighting his post because although both
cases centre on American students, Vivendi Universal (France), Sony BMG
(Japan and Germany), EMI (Britain), and Warner Music's (US) sue 'em all
campaigning is international and unless and until the mainstream media
focus on these kinds of travesties, innocent people will continue to be
victimised in the name of corporate profits.
'Mary,' as I've called her, didn't follow through with her threat, but
I've heard rumours of a tragedy which occurred early on when someone
being sued by the RIAA did, in fact, commit suicide.
http://www.p2pnet.net/story/18413

"My name is Brittany Kruger. I'm not a criminal. I'm not a tough person.
I cry almost every night these days, and I'm scared to death of what is
going to happen to me in the future. Most of all I'm not a pirate, I
don't have a peg leg or a hook for a hand, and I don't raid ships on the
high seas looking for booty."


For linkers who are concerned about this issue - could I point you to:
http://creativefreedom.org.nz/blackout.html
As a suggested action that you might like to implement to show support
for our Kiwi comrades.

Tom