Swiss Government: File-Sharing No Big Deal
What’s the Latest Development?
A new report by the Swiss government says unauthorized file sharing is not a significant issue. It also argues that current Swiss law–which allows for downloading copyrighted content for personal use–is adequate to protect copyright holders. It also considers and rejects changes including a mandatory collective licensing regime that would have imposed a fee on all Internet users that allowed unlimited file-sharing.
What’s the Big Idea?
The report was written at the request of the Swiss legislature, which had expressed fear that rampant copyright infringement was endangering Swiss culture. But it found that piracy is only a significant concern for “large foreign production companies,” and the latter should adapt to new consumer behavior instead of seeking further legislative changes.
