Daft Kiwi copyright law could be adopted

NZ downloaders presumed guilty without evidence, according to new law.

New Zealand is set to adopt a daft, draconian copyright infringement law next month, which will see Internet users summarily disconnected merely upon accusation that they've unlawfully shared copyrighted files, with no proof, due process or right of appeal involved.

Termed Section 92 of the Copyright Amendment Act, the outrageous Kiwi legislation makes the assumption that any Internet user in the country accused of copyright infringement will automatically be deemed guilty. Just the allegation requires that their ISP disconnect them.

Instigated at the behest of the RIANZ, New Zealand's Big Music analogue of the US-based RIAA, the law is currently scheduled to be put into force at the end of February.

The Creative Freedom Foundation was formed last month to "unite artists who are against the removal of New Zealanders' rights through proposed changes in copyright law, done in the name of protecting creativity." It is conducting an urgent campaign called 'Not In My Name' to prevent the apparently brain-dead Kiwi government from adopting Section 92 in its present form, complete with an online petition.

This is such a breathtaking instance of egregrious, corrupt pandering to industry lobbyists by so-called 'public servants' - without even a pretense of concern for fundamental justice, the civil rights of the populace, or the good of the country as a whole - that, if this actually goes into force, then torches and pitchforks followed by tar and feathers will be justified.