A bill that could legalize P2P in France is being debated in Parliament today, as tensions rise over a measure that would place a fee on Internet usage meant to reimburse copyright holders for losses to personal file sharing. The ruse, as they say, is up.
The controversy came to international attention in December when a minuscule number of deputies voted in favor of such legislation during a Parliamentary holiday. The bill passed by a vote of 30 to 28, with the remaining 519 deputies absent on account of being on vacation. Questions rose immediately about how realistic this legislation was, and why a vote on such a serious matter would happen under such curious circumstances.
This month the fighting continues as elements within the French government battle it out. Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin and his supporters are opposed to the legislation, siding with the music industry's argument that the proposed measures would do irreparable harm to the industry. The measure is scheduled for a vote next Tuesday. But just what will they be voting on?
More...Credit: ars technica
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