The Harper government has served notice that the halcyon days of free Internet music downloading may be numbered.
The Conservatives introduced legislation Thursday that would carry a $500 penalty for Internet song-snatching and downloading of other copyrighted material. But it's unclear how violators would get caught, suggesting illegal downloading might be like playing a kind of legal Russian roulette.
Industry Minister Jim Prentice sought middle ground between copyright holders who want strict protection for their intellectual property, and Internet users accustomed to downloading material for free.
"This bill balances the rights of creators on one hand and consumers on the other," he said.
However, critics dismissed the legislation as "symbolic," and opposition MPs wondered how Ottawa would enforce the legislation short of barging into people's homes.
The current copyright law - intended to catch commercial cheaters - carries a maximum penalty of $20,000 for each infringement. Amendments to the Copyright Act proposed by Prentice would reduce that to a one-time, $500 penalty for all infringements.
The industry minister suggested the amendments are meant to safeguard parents against astronomical penalties ...
