Canadian Game Makers Want Curbs on Internet

There is an ongoing debate in Canada right now regarding its archaic copyright laws. It is still technically illegal, for example to record a television program. With the debate raging in Parliament, up steps Jason Kee, director of policy with the Entertainment Software Association of Canada.

Kee wants Internet Service Providers to monitor high-speed downloads and even stop transfers of games.

"Similarly", says Kee, "they actually do have the capacity of basically disrupting particular communications, and that's essentially the kind of activity we'd be seeking."

Basically, Kee wants Canada to adopt an American-style approach to copyright in the digital age as formulated in the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. "As a whole, the Act has actually been positive. It is regarded as an evil. If you look at major innovation in the Internet [in the last decade], it's come from the United States", he commented.

The Vancouver Sun also notes that "Kee wants the new Canadian legislation to include a prohibition against circumvention devices. Modification chips, freely available for purchase at retail stores, allow consumers to crack security locks and upload pirated computer and video games."

"There's nothing prohibiting the activity. However, the entire business model is predicated on piracy," he said quite logically in fact.

^{Sources:
The Vancouver Sun
CTV}