The Hong Kong Copyright Alliance says the proposed copyright law is needed to combat large-scale online piracy using streaming technology. Photo: Shutterstock
A group of organizations from the music, film, animation and IT sectors have urged the Legislative Council to approve the controversial Copyright Amendment Ordinance without further delay.
The Hong Kong Copyright Alliance said the proposed new law was needed to combat large-scale online piracy using streaming technology.
While critics have expressed concern the changes will limit freedom of speech and creativity online, the group dismissed these fears.
It said proposed exceptions already allowed netizens to create a wide range of parodic works based on copyrighted works without having to seek permission from the copyright-holders.
Earlier on Sunday, the government sought to allay fears about the copyright bill by saying that it hopes to submit another revised bill by 2020, if this bill is first passed.
The director for intellectual property, Ada Leung, also said an open exemption for all content generated by Internet users was actually more confusing than the changes planned under the current legislation, which opponents have dubbed - the "internet's article 23".
http://news.rthk.hk/rthk/en/component/k2/1229409-20151213.htm
