Well, it seems another region is looking at an interesting copyright law. The EU is about to vote on IPRED 2 [Intellectual Property Enforcement Directive – the Second], which though it may be a good title for a comic, makes lousy law. From the EFF’s CopyCrime page:
If IPRED2 passes in its current form, “aiding, abetting, or inciting” copyright infringement on a “commercial scale” in the EU will become a crime.
Penalties for these brand new copycrimes will include permanent bans on doing business, seizure of assets, criminal records, and fines of up to €100,000.
EFF CopyCrime
That seems rather vague to me, and everyone else it seems. The EFF have a lot about it, and though I’m not expert on law, it seems like a pretty random law which plenty of lawyer shops posing as tech companies (hello SCO!) will use to annoy, irritate and generally rip off. Amazingly, even the UK government is against it in its current form!
Have a look anyway. Personally I think it seems like a rather general ruling to target a more specific type of problem.