Moya Lázaro, Fernando.
The rights of the authors have ever been important, and a subject of debate. But when the first copyright act was enacted no one could have thought what would come in 200 years.
Although, the changes have been progressive for decades, in terms of copyright, there is a fact that has changed everything, the internet. Before the arrival of the internet, the rights of the author were easily defended, comparing with the situation now a day.
The internet has changed the view of the property of the creative work. People have started to find everything on the internet, sometimes without seeking it. We don’t know how exactly the internet works before trying to download what we want. We don’t consider who has put his effort, his believes, thoughts, money and hours in a work, we don’t care about who the author, the creator is. It is the most unfair deal, you put all your effort and everyone in the world can take advantage of it, no matter if they have paid for it or they only have clicked in a website which is earning a lot of money showing you some porno. You can download the Bible if you agree to see some ads of porno web sites.
We must put ourselves on the spot and consider if we were willing to work for days, or years, and would get nothing because everyone thinks that you don’t have the right to get money nor acknowledgment for your own work.
If it is not reasonable for anyone, why do people still break the law? It is easy, fast and cheap this is the reason. We can put all the excuses that we can make up, but in the end we know that what we are doing is cheating. We would not be able to hold any arguments in front of an author, well perhaps some people could, but not the majority. We would probably say that he is totally right and we would support him in every step he would take, afterwards we would head up home and we would download something because there would be nothing interesting on the TV.
The solution is so far away. The creations are the same everywhere, but the laws to protect them are different in each country. We should not talk only about laws; it would be like saying that if we do not have laws we do not behave as a human being. We have our own fault; if something it is not prohibited that does not mean that it is right. We are always trying to find the tiniest crack to trick.
Downloading copies of a work is part of the society now a day. Authors, companies and governments should try to work each one in its sector to change the trend. I wish I had the answer to change it, but sadly I have no idea. What I know for sure is that authors won’t keep working for free forever and the whole mankind is losing great things every time someone reckons that it is not worth to work for nothing.
For further information about Copyright act and Fair Dealing:
http://uvpress.blogs.uv.es/2011/08/05/03-copyright-and-you-new-requirements-start-sept-1/