I think a rather important verdict by the European Court of Human Rights about the tension
between the copyright law and the freedom of expression gives the people more possibilities
to share music and other forms of art with each others. I think it is a good thing to
spread great music all over the world. A world that sings and dances is a world that
does not fight.
Here's the verdict from january 10th AFFAIRE ASHBY DONALD ET AUTRES c. FRANCE:
verdictThis means that a conviction or any other judicial decision based on copyright law,
restricting a person’s or an organisation’s freedom of expression, must be pertinently
motivated as being necessary in a democratic society, apart from being prescribed
by law and pursuing a legitimate aim.
So it doesn’t mean nobody will ever get convicted for sharing culture again –
just that courts have to justify why a conviction is also “necessary in a democratic society”,
in addition to having met the normal and previous bar for a conviction.
Just as long as the guitar plays, let it steal your heart away