S92A, Copyright law and internet protest

The last few days I have been intrigued by the protests over the changes to copyright law, culminating in the Internet Blackout protest yesterday. This was promptly followed by John Key announcing that the government was delaying implementation of the complained about clauses pending the agreement of a Code of Practice between certain rights holders and the ISPs.

Many on all sides appear to agree that this law is badly drafted. Consumers and creatives alike would appear not to be involved in these Code of Practice negotiations.

If the law is badly drafted scrap it and bring one in that is drafted properly. Further, the law should more appropriately balance the rights of copyright owners with the desires and rights of consumers.

I think that what we are seeing here is the desire of one class of property owner seeking to delay/avoid the disintermediation of their market through the advent of new technologies and means of delivery.

Yet to date the government seems more concerned to perpetuate the hold of the rentiers than allow the dyanamics of change to take effect.

New business models should not be constrained from emerging through laws that advantage one class of rights owners disproportionately.