Fry rails against copyright law

Stephen Fry
Stephen Fry
British actor and comedian Stephen Fry has lodged a protest against a controversial copyright law due to come into force in New Zealand on February 28.

Fry, who has starred in television and movie productions including A Bit of Fry And Laurie, Blackadder and Gosford Park, has blacked out his picture on social networking site Twitter in protest at the at law.

His biography on the site reads: "I'm blacked out: Stand up against "Guilt Upon Accusation" for New Zealand."

Those reading his Twitter account are directed to http://creativefreedom.org.nz/blackout for further information.

The Creative Freedom Foundation, which is lobbying against the law, says it reverses the fundamental right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Section 92a would punish internet users with disconnection based on accusations of copyright infringement without evidence being held up to court scrutiny.

Foundation Director Bronwyn Holloway-Smith said one rogue employee or even one virus infected computer could bring down a whole organisation's internet. Schools, businesses, libraries, and phone services could be affected.

A week long campaign against the law will culminate in a major web blackout on Monday.

Blogs and websites would be "dimming the lights" to draw attention to an issue that could leave New Zealander's in the dark when they face having their internet cut off.

"If the government choses to keep this law, they will be going against international trends, treating NZ as an international lab-rat for this kind of legislation,"Ms Hollway-Smith said.

The foundation says more than 8000 people, including more than 4000 artists, have signed its petition against the law.

Speaking of the blackout campaign, Fry said on Twitter: "It may not bring the New Zealand Government to its senses, but can it hurt for them to learn of our outrage?"

Fry is one of the most popular writers on Twitter, and has more than 208,000 followers.

Dunedin South MP Clare Curran has drafted a member's bill overturning the section and will attempt to get Parliament to consider it.

The law was passed by the previous government in the pre-election legislative rush last year.

Ms Curran yesterday asked commerce minister Simon Power whether the section could be delayed or amended, given the concerns surrounding it.

Mr Power replied that industry representatives were working on a code of practice which would help implement the law.