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Canadian government proposes website-blocking system for piracy websites

canada.ca

51–60 of 92 posts

Re: Canadian government proposes website-blocking system for piracy websites

#51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> * Steam has already shown how to "best" piracy to the extent that a business can. It's not via copyright laws. Everyone thought rampant piracy would mean Steam won't work in Russia. That aged well. What's ironic to me is that, movie piracy was steadily falling and effectively dead after Netflix launched their streaming-video platform, very similar to how video game piracy started to taper off as Steam gained tracti…

The problem is that Hollywood doesn't understand "commoditize your complement." Having more than one streaming service isn't a big problem, assuming they're priced reasonably. Going from one service with everything for $15 to ten services with a tenth of everything for $15 each isn't really that, but that's not the root of it. Their problem is that people are going to want a single interface to view everything throug…

> Going from one service with everything (*) for $15

(*) Regional restrictions may apply

Re: Canadian government proposes website-blocking system for piracy websites

#52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> * Steam has already shown how to "best" piracy to the extent that a business can. It's not via copyright laws. Everyone thought rampant piracy would mean Steam won't work in Russia. That aged well. What's ironic to me is that, movie piracy was steadily falling and effectively dead after Netflix launched their streaming-video platform, very similar to how video game piracy started to taper off as Steam gained tracti…

The problem is that Hollywood doesn't understand "commoditize your complement." Having more than one streaming service isn't a big problem, assuming they're priced reasonably. Going from one service with everything for $15 to ten services with a tenth of everything for $15 each isn't really that, but that's not the root of it. Their problem is that people are going to want a single interface to view everything throug…

Instead, they are fighting against windmills - adding more layers of DRM, incompatible clients, weird limitations...

99% (thin air statistics irrelevant) of the people won't save a copy of your stream and share it unless there's a dedicated GUI for it. The remaining, well, pirates gonna pirate.

As you said in more detail, they are fighting totally the wrong battle. It feels like an even dumber version of the war on drugs.

Re: Canadian government proposes website-blocking system for piracy websites

#53
post #3

How does one get from > The Government of Canada Launches Consultation on a Modern Copyright Framework for Online Intermediaries to > Canadian government proposes website-blocking system for piracy websites ?

Frankly, it's been long suggested by the government to do that. I would not be surprised if they did as well. In Canada, our freedom of expression is limited by whatever the Government deems appropriate: > Freedom of expression in Canada is protected as a "fundamental freedom" by Section 2 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The Charter also permits the government to enforce "reasonable" limits. Unfortuna…

In Canada, what the government deems appropriate is under a version of the Sword of Damocles known as the electorate. A government can lose confidence of the house at any time in the way we know it. We can start to see this with a polarized cabinet in Alberta right now.

If we continue to teach good civics and encourage people promise no safe votes to politicians, they won't make reasonable limits unreasonable.

Re: Canadian government proposes website-blocking system for piracy websites

#54
post #24

Another screw up! The best thing that could ever happen in my life would be the Canadian government collapsing and the country getting annexed by the USA. Such an evil country. It’s so embarrassing to live here.

What would you like to see done differently in the Canadian government?

Re: Canadian government proposes website-blocking system for piracy websites

#55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> * Steam has already shown how to "best" piracy to the extent that a business can. It's not via copyright laws. Everyone thought rampant piracy would mean Steam won't work in Russia. That aged well. What's ironic to me is that, movie piracy was steadily falling and effectively dead after Netflix launched their streaming-video platform, very similar to how video game piracy started to taper off as Steam gained tracti…

The problem is that Hollywood doesn't understand "commoditize your complement." Having more than one streaming service isn't a big problem, assuming they're priced reasonably. Going from one service with everything for $15 to ten services with a tenth of everything for $15 each isn't really that, but that's not the root of it. Their problem is that people are going to want a single interface to view everything throug…

> Their problem is that people are going to want a single interface to view everything through. If you actually subscribe to three different services, you want to turn on your TV and see everything available to you.

Google's & Apple's TV interfaces do that now. Search for a show, it tells you which streaming apps have it, including a CTA to maybe buy / subscribe one you don't have. There is a recommended show stream on the front page for google that is service agnostic too.

Yes you still have to download and login to an app, but people are used to downloading and logging into an app for their phones already and it's only a 15 minute procedure every 5 years you buy a TV, if that.

Re: Canadian government proposes website-blocking system for piracy websites

#56
If Canada gave anti-piracy law protection beyond copyright to only content available for sale in Canada at a certain quality minimum, you would see so, so much more content available in Canada.

The media companies would also have way less natural piracy to deal with in the first place and the government would have to spend less money on the illegal behavior that is left.

They could even go beyond and make media company adhoc enforcement of those laws illegal (ex no torrent user scarelettering)

Re: Canadian government proposes website-blocking system for piracy websites

#57
post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The problem is that Hollywood doesn't understand "commoditize your complement." Having more than one streaming service isn't a big problem, assuming they're priced reasonably. Going from one service with everything for $15 to ten services with a tenth of everything for $15 each isn't really that, but that's not the root of it. Their problem is that people are going to want a single interface to view everything throug…

> Their problem is that people are going to want a single interface to view everything through. If you actually subscribe to three different services, you want to turn on your TV and see everything available to you. Google's & Apple's TV interfaces do that now. Search for a show, it tells you which streaming apps have it, including a CTA to maybe buy / subscribe one you don't have. There is a recommended show stream…

I mean once Google or Apple own the customer why even need to login, you can just use your Google or Apple account. They promise not to take 15% :-/

Re: Canadian government proposes website-blocking system for piracy websites

#58
post #3

How does one get from > The Government of Canada Launches Consultation on a Modern Copyright Framework for Online Intermediaries to > Canadian government proposes website-blocking system for piracy websites ?

Frankly, it's been long suggested by the government to do that. I would not be surprised if they did as well. In Canada, our freedom of expression is limited by whatever the Government deems appropriate: > Freedom of expression in Canada is protected as a "fundamental freedom" by Section 2 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The Charter also permits the government to enforce "reasonable" limits. Unfortuna…

> In Canada, our freedom of expression is limited by whatever the Government deems appropriate:

The same could be said for the United States or really just about any other country, as there are restrictions on free speech here (think "fighting words," etc.)

Re: Canadian government proposes website-blocking system for piracy websites

#59
post #56

If Canada gave anti-piracy law protection beyond copyright to only content available for sale in Canada at a certain quality minimum, you would see so, so much more content available in Canada. The media companies would also have way less natural piracy to deal with in the first place and the government would have to spend less money on the illegal behavior that is left. They could even go beyond and make media compa…

Or the media companies would spring up a streaming service with a monthly price of 1 million dollars to satisfy the law without actually changing the market conditions.

Re: Canadian government proposes website-blocking system for piracy websites

#60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> * Steam has already shown how to "best" piracy to the extent that a business can. It's not via copyright laws. Everyone thought rampant piracy would mean Steam won't work in Russia. That aged well. What's ironic to me is that, movie piracy was steadily falling and effectively dead after Netflix launched their streaming-video platform, very similar to how video game piracy started to taper off as Steam gained tracti…

> For a single low monthly fee you got access to movies from all the major networks, and a good selection of TV shows as a bonus. The networks started getting greedy - HBO Max, Paramount+, Disney+, Peacock, Discovery+, the list goes on - all wanting their own $5-$15/month cut on the action. It's funny to think that the platform, which is pretty easily replicable, is nearly as valuable as the content. Why should the c…

Sony just signed a massive content licensing deal with Netflix. Funny thing is, if you asked me which companies should have their own streaming service, Sony would be towards the top of the list. They have the content and very relevant tech expertise for it. Yet they ran the numbers and realised that there probably isn't room in the market for yet another ground-up service. Paramount, NBC, Showtime, Shudder, Epix, Discovery, CBS, Starz, AMC all apparently didn't.

Amazon has the best compromise for this IMO. Users have a single account and payment method, and can subscribe to different "channels" from the Prime Video app itself. Content owners don't need to license stuff to Amazon, just pay them a cut of the add-on fee.

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