Copyright Law

Environics Releases CRIA-Backed IP Survey

By Michael Geist

Environics has just released an IP survey that shows its obvious bias from the first two paragraphs. Partially funded by the Canadian Recording Industry Association, it begins by claiming that

"over the past several years Canada has fallen behind the international community when it comes to the protection of intellectual property and products of the mind. The gap between Canadian laws and international standards in the area of counterfeiting, piracy, and illegal downloading is growing ever wider. Canada has been maintained by the U.S. Trade Representative on a special watch list specifically because of its laxity in the realm of protecting intellectual property." 

While it is true that Canada is on the USTR list, we are joined by 70 percent of the world's population. Meanwhile, these other claims are simply untrue. For a survey company to repeat lobby group claims is not a particularly effective way of demonstrating its credibility.

Full post as published by Michael Geist on June 04, 2008 (boomark / email).