Piracy and copyright issues do go much deeper than column indicates

Posted Feb 9, 2012 By Gary Kellam

Dear Editor:

Charles Gordon has a real concern shared by many of us: online piracy and copyright infringement, its impact on artists and, by extension, on us and our society.

However, in his column "Everything for nothing on the web?" (Feb. 2), Mr. Gordon unfortunately misrepresents many of those involved with this issue.

He particularly misrepresents the intent of those who have relevant, real concerns about two current US bills on piracy and infringement (SOPA and PIPA), painting them as either condoning piracy and/or opposing regulation of piracy. This is the opposite of the truth. Although they have real concerns with those two particular bills, they are still in favour of preventing piracy and copyright infringement.

What are their concerns? In brief, they are convinced that these bills, in their current form, could make innocent bystanders legally liable for online piracy undertaken without their knowledge by someone else. As well, these bills' provisions would cripple large numbers of legitimate businesses and existing government initiatives aimed at helping others, and create fear and chaos in legitimate internet interests. (See

http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2012/01/how-pipa-and-sopa-violate-white-house-principles-supporting-free-speech)

This is patently unfair and signals that the authors of the bills did not write sufficiently-precise, cogent legislation that targets just piracy and infringement, while still protecting legitimate activity.

Mr. Gordon, before publishing his column, should have taken the time to do his research so that he could have written about his (and our) concern in a manner that does justice to it, and particularly without misrepresenting those who are just as concerned about addressing it properly and fairly.

Gary Kellam

Ottawa