Universities Agree To Email Monitoring For Copyright Agency 165
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by
Soulskill
from the somebody-forgot-to-read-the-fine-print dept.
from the somebody-forgot-to-read-the-fine-print dept.
New submitter fish waffle writes "The universities of Western Ontario and Toronto have signed a deal with Access Copyright that allows for surveillance of faculty correspondence, defines e-mailing hyperlinks as equivalent to photocopying a document, and imposes an annual $27.50 fee for every full-time equivalent student to pay for it all. Access Copyright is a licensing agency historically used by most universities in Canada to give them blanket permission to reproduce copyrighted works, largely to address photocopying concerns that may extend beyond basic fair-use. Since the expiration of this agreement, and with recognition that many academic uses do not require copyright permissions or payments or are already covered under vendor-specific agreements, Canadian academic institutions have been united in opposing continuation of the agreement with the agency. Access Copyright has countered with a proposal for increased fees, and expansion of the definition of copyright to include linking and the need for online surveillance. In a strange breaking of ranks, the University of Western Ontario and the University of Toronto have capitulated and signed agreements that basically accede to the licensing agency's demands. The Canadian Association of University Teachers bulletin provides detailed background on the issue (PDF)."
Anti-scientific? (Score:5, Interesting)
This practice sounds like complete the opposite of the principles of scientific research.
Re:Privacy law disagrees (Score:5, Interesting)
Except in Canada you have to give them the right to monitor email or internet traffic as you do have reasonable expectation of privacy.
Simply have to refuse to sign any paperwork which gives them the right to monitor. If they do monitor and try to do anything then they are basically providing evidence that makes your lawsuit very easy.
One of the universities I attended had some BS clause about allowing them to give access of my information and documents to third parties as they saw fit. I argued it up to the dean and was eventually told that if I wanted to continue in the program, I needed to sign the clause.
Re:Change Universities (Score:4, Interesting)
0.3% feels substantial to you? You aren't going to switch schools over another $30. You might switch on the principle, but not for economic reasons. Just driving out to the university, getting lunch, and spending your time looking at the program costs more than $30.
Zill (1690130) - Engineering undergrad
Missed something, I do think.
Re:Poor Google? (Score:5, Interesting)
Seeing as they contractually treat sending a link as making a photocopy, it would seem that you are now allowed to photocopy entire works under this new agreement.
Not a bad perk for the price increase at all.
Re:Privacy law disagrees (Score:2, Interesting)
What I did with BS clauses was write "NoThankYou" backwards with the opposite hand I normally sign with on the signature space, fast enough to look like a typical sloppy signature. I have yet to have anyone question it, but if it came to a legal issue, I can say that is not my signature.
Alternate idea: tell them that all reproduction rights have already been signed over to your literary agency, and they will have to contact them to get access.