So “the authorities” in Libya are fining and imprisoning people for not respecting Western IP Law? Surely if their government is that corrupt they have better ways to exploit their population, hell why not just collect protection money instead of throwing everyone in jail?
You don’t seem to be getting it… American copyright law can’t affect someone in Libya, unless the Libyan authorities allow it. American lawyers can try to sue all they want, but it won’t do anything unless the business owner visits America.
Libya doesn’t have an official extradition treaty with the US. So the American authorities can bitch and moan about it all they want, but they can’t arrest a Libyan citizen and drag them to America without Libya’s consent. If this is legal in Libya, they’re not breaking any Libyan laws, and they’re not harming Libyans, why would the Libyan authorities care?
What lawyers? Correct me if I’m wrong, but if I live in Libya, and I’m following Libya laws, why do I care if some western lawyer for the MPAA takes notice of me?
Sure, but not all foreign governments will respond, and with the decline of the American hedgemony, even fewer will respond. I suspect Libya will not be too forthcoming with helping wester IP Consortiums crack down on pirated video stores. And since that store has been open for 15years, I seem to be correct here.
Fines and imprisonment
So “the authorities” in Libya are fining and imprisoning people for not respecting Western IP Law? Surely if their government is that corrupt they have better ways to exploit their population, hell why not just collect protection money instead of throwing everyone in jail?
they will once the ip owners and their lawyers take enough notice
You don’t seem to be getting it… American copyright law can’t affect someone in Libya, unless the Libyan authorities allow it. American lawyers can try to sue all they want, but it won’t do anything unless the business owner visits America.
Libya doesn’t have an official extradition treaty with the US. So the American authorities can bitch and moan about it all they want, but they can’t arrest a Libyan citizen and drag them to America without Libya’s consent. If this is legal in Libya, they’re not breaking any Libyan laws, and they’re not harming Libyans, why would the Libyan authorities care?
IP owners have created international consortiums to protect their profits and place pressure on foreign gov’t to respond.
What lawyers? Correct me if I’m wrong, but if I live in Libya, and I’m following Libya laws, why do I care if some western lawyer for the MPAA takes notice of me?
IP owners have created international consortiums to protect their profits and place pressure on foreign gov’t to respond.
Sure, but not all foreign governments will respond, and with the decline of the American hedgemony, even fewer will respond. I suspect Libya will not be too forthcoming with helping wester IP Consortiums crack down on pirated video stores. And since that store has been open for 15years, I seem to be correct here.