The implementation of EUCD will have staggering consequences to Swedish computer users. Not only will it limit the consumers’ rights to make copies of CDs and DVDs for personal use, but it will also criminalize peer-to-peer file sharing.
The Swedish government is proposing a law which would require the permission from the copyright owner before any music, video, photo or text material can be spread on the net. P2P software, such as Kazaa will be outright outlawed, as will software intended for bypassing copy protection on movies and audio CDs.
Also the right to make personal copies will be further limited, but it will still be legal to make copies for personal use.
According to the minister of justice Thomas Bodström the new legislation doesn’t radically change the current attitude towards copyrights.
“The new law has not been tailored to satisfy the needs of large record companies. Essentially it retains the earlier views on copyrights. As technology develops, the legislation must also be kept up to date,” Bodström commented.
Distributing or downloading illegal copies on P2P networks can lead to a sentence of up to two years in prison. Usually only those sharing illegal files have been made liable in court. The Swedish law will also prohibit downloading.
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