AfterDawn adversly impacted by new Finnish copyright laws
Posted on 26/12/05 23:11 by Dan Bell                             
AfterDawn adversly impacted by new Finnish copyright laws

Via email today from one Charles Trino, we learn of some horrific news. It seems that the Finnish website AfterDawn, is being dealt a serious blow due to new copyright legislation passed last fall. They are taking steps now to avoid possible litigation that could become possible after the legislation takes effect January 1, 2006. Here is a quote from that news report from the Afterdawn website.

As Finland has traditionally enjoyed quite relaxed copyright legislation, the change is dramatic. Previously, copying for own personal use (whether you owned the CD/DVD/book/whatever) was perfectly legal and the authors were compensated by blank media levy. Now, the blank media levy will remain in place, but at least the following things will change:

  • Circumventing copy protections, even for personal use, will be illegal. (it states so in the law, even tho the government tried to argue that the right wont be pursued by government, but nothing stops record labels, movie studios, etc to do so)
  • Distributing (even for free) tools (whether physical devices or software) that allow circumventing copy protection mechanisms will be illegal. (this includes DVD rippers, tools that allow copying copy-protected CDs etc)
  • Advertising tools that allow circumventing copy protection mechanisms will be illegal. (and the law doesn't state how advertising is determined. So, basically simply linking to a page that has DVD ripper downloads from your own site can be considered "advertising")
  • Possession of tools that allow circumventing copy protection mechanisms will be illegal. Even for personal use.
  • Guides on how to circumvent copy protection mechanisms can be considered as "tools" and thus are also illegal.
  • Worryingly, even "organized discussion" on how to circumvent copy protection mechanisms, will be illegal. (and no, Finland doesn't have similar to American Supreme Court that determines whether laws are against constitution, but when laws are approved, they by default are in harmony with constitution and can't be later overturned on basis that they are un-constitutional)

Among other things, they must remove all guides and tutorials dealing with instruction of circumvention of copyright measures. They must also remove software that is used primarily for such purposes. Here is a list of the changes coming to the Afterdawn website and it's forums quoted from an article posted there today:

But as a summary, here are the changes that will take effect on 1st of January or shortly after that date:
  1. Forums
    • No changes. The law states that "organized discussion about breaking copy protections" will be illegal, but as nobody on our forums is planning to develop tools that break copy protections, we don't think it applies. Additionally, as everybody knows, our forums aren't exactly very organized ;-) And moderators aren't our staff members, our admins don't participate in threads discussing about how to break copy protection methods, ever.

  2. Guides
    • References how to use tools that allow circumventing copy protections will be removed
    • This means that guides converting AVIs to DVD, etc will remain intact.
    • This means that guides converting copy-protected DVDs to other formats will stay on our site, but the detailed instructions on how to use tools like DVD Decrypter, etc will be removed from those guides
    • Guides considering just how to break copy protections, will be removed (AFAIK, only one guide applies here)
  3. Software section
    • Major changes. All tools meant solely for DVD Ripping and/or ripping copy-protected music CDs will be removed.
    • This is a major blow to us, as our site has one of the largest DVD ripping software collections on Earth. But the law is very clear with this one, tools like SmartRipper serve really only one main function -- ripping copy-protected DVDs -- and are therefor illegal from 1st of January, 2006.
  4. Other site areas
    • No changes. Stuff like glossary, FAQ section, etc will continue operating as they do now.

They go into great detail as to the specifics of the changes to take place shortly, you may visit this link in order to read them in their entirety. This is a sad day for all consumers around the globe and further illustrates the degradation of fair use rights in todays corporate guided society.

We certainly feel terrible for those on the AfterDawn website and we must congratulate them for all their contributions over the years hosting software and guides. In addition, we commend them on taking the steps necessary to avoid being victimized by these new draconian laws.

If you thought the deterioration of fair use rights was merely a problem isolated to one country or one government, you can now see that clearly, this is not the case. If you thought the Internet was safe and separate from being influenced by laws written in the physical world, you also got another wakeup call.

Source: Afterdawn

Reactions
Discuss this article with your fellow community members! We appreciate your valuable input, but please keep the reaction policy in mind and make sure your reaction is constructive.
By shimman, Tuesday 27 December 2005 00:20
oh my....i am sorry for the finnish friends maybe, Earth will be taken over by MPAA, RIAA, etc
By aradian, Tuesday 27 December 2005 02:16
Maybe they should relocate their server outside finland. Maybe the carribbean like slysoft or some sort of independant place like sealand off the coast of england that is not under the jurisdiction of bribed politicians and illuminati (elite freemasons like the bush neocons) figures that dictate govt and trade. I think they don't want us to be able to back up our property so we don't go to the title menu so they can blast copyright messages at us reminding us that we are their slaves and the reality that we don't really live in a free world.
By Ranmacanada, Tuesday 27 December 2005 05:35
You gotta love it, it is illegal to make a personal copy, but they still get the damn money to compensate for a possible personsal copy. The levy should be removed otherwise, it is no longer a levy, it is now a tax. Talk about double dipping!@
By Wesociety, Tuesday 27 December 2005 05:46
WesocietyCompletely lame. AfterDawn should rehost in Antigua. CDFreaks should offer to host the guides and tutorials that they are taking down.
By Juhuslik, Tuesday 27 December 2005 08:06
JuhuslikSoon in Estonia(80km from Finland to south) will be the tax on blank CD/DVD/VHS etc. As our lawmakers are taken patterns from Finland and others, then I think it's only matter of time, when we will "enyoy" same politics... It's very sad.
By bkf, Tuesday 27 December 2005 10:14
bkfDid these guys ware those stupid looking wigs to? While im aware we have out own problems here ill have to consider this one Middle Ages. I even doubt Hollywood had much to do with it but rather a bunch of self serving government officials with an agenda. Is this sort of thinking reminiscent of another period in time of Europe's history? They must have found Elvis and company who were said to be hiding in a chateau in France.
By Morglum007, Tuesday 27 December 2005 11:10
Don't worry about. In Spain a very similar, if not identical law took effect on september last year. I supposely cannot vircunvein any prot, neither have any ripping/clone toop like CloneCD/Alcohol installed on my computer, and so on. Exactly the same the law will take effect in ur country. We have a blank media levy too, but we have search the labels that does not use such levy ( ASIMELEC outside companies in Spain). And what happened? NOTHING!. This law is legal but unconstitutional, and because of spanish react strongly. Like a spanish said: Who makes laws, makes the corresponding traps.
By byb3, Tuesday 27 December 2005 19:31
This law is quite pointless. It is simply a scare tactic. Do you really expect the police to search your house for the latest version of Alcohol 120%? It already is a de-facto pile of crap. Remember people it is illegal to video tape a show and keep it for personal use. How many people have been convicted of this terrible crime?
By JerkyMyTurky, Wednesday 28 December 2005 03:09
They are only going to push this information to other sites and as well as p2p networks. I think the guides should be re-created and hosted on cdfreaks as well. The guides are already appearing on torrent sites. The software has already been spread on many torrent sites already. When information like this is suppressed, everyone should do their part to spread that information wider.
By CORRSA, Thursday 29 December 2005 16:33
why the f**k are we sitting here and even taking this crap ? what can we joe public do about this ? well for starters we can all write to tell our local mp's that if they dont change this crap we aint voting for em next time but it will take all of us to do it not just a few and we need to stick to our guns anybody know what else will rock their boat come on ...............
By jcsm2K3, Saturday 31 December 2005 03:26
This type of laws and compromise of govt willonly CHANGE when ppl make millions and protest on the streets, paralizing the entire countries. I say MAYBE (because the police and secret service of hte countries will do they dirty job to silence the leaders) it will take effect! IF ppl believe that democracy exists (power from ppl, to the ppl, and in his name it will be made), thinks again. Its an illusion created by the govt, in part to justify capitalism over socialism/comunism... The other way is a civil revolution for freedom and to gave the ppl the power they loose/or not ever have. So, this is the "war of the classes" to give the rich more power and more. And more powerfull, the richiest buy the govt and the judiciary... Simples as that. This IS what the world was transforming. I KNOW that talking it to internet wont helping. PPL had to unify (in millions) AND protest in the streets to govt SEEs that the millions didnt desire the laws and govt agenda as is OR face a civil war. The problem IS: ppl will do that ? And WHEN ppl will do that, its too late ? The 1984 brother thing is approaching too, everything we read/talk in eletronic means could be trapped: phone, internet,etc... So, this is the ROLLERBALL thing that this 70's film was talking about (great corporating ruling the world and slaverying human beings with NO righst) ? Yes ppl, talk is easy. ACTION in real world, organized is that's hard. [ ]s
Name: Email:



Your comment:

Receive notification on new comments?