Canada Post Files Copyright Lawsuit Over Crowd-sourced Postal Code Database 168
An anonymous reader writes "Canada Post has filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against Geolytica, which operates GeoCoder.ca,
a website that provides several geocoding services including free access to a crowd-sourced, compiled database of Canadian postal codes. Canada Post argues that it is the exclusive copyright holder of all
Canadian postal codes and claims that GeoCoder appropriated the database and made unauthorized reproductions. GeoCoder compiled the postal code database by using crowdsourcing techniques, without
any reliance on Canada Post's database, and argues that there can be no copyright on postal codes and thus no infringement (PDF)."
Right Idea, Wrong Argument (Score:5, Insightful)
As much as I think the idea of copyrighting post codes is stupid, surely the source of the data doesn't matter. That is like taking a picture, looking at each pixel, manually selecting a similar color pixel and creating a new image, then claiming that you own copyright on this new image. Postcodes should be as uncopyrightable as information about the boundary between counties.
Re:Right Idea, Wrong Argument (Score:0, Insightful)
I know this sounds radical, but Canada actually has its own set of laws around copyright that are -- shockingly -- NOT THE SAME AS IN THE USA.
Why? (Score:4, Insightful)
A guy creates a site that makes it easier for customer's to use their service, why the hell are they suing him?
Re:Right Idea, Wrong Argument (Score:2, Insightful)
If you blatantly make an analog copy of the Mona Lisa, that's copyright infringement even if the target work doesn't have the exact same colour values as the original. But what's happening here is more like trying to paint a copy of the Mona Lisa without ever looking at the original, merely based on descriptions a bunch of people give you. In other words, you will never know for sure how accurate your representation is going to be.
After years of work, you present your result to the general public, and it looks, well, like this [comic-freaks.com]. Next thing you know, the Canadian Post Office sues you for copyright infringement. Somehow I don't think (I might hope not!) that the judge will agree.
Re:Right Idea, Wrong Argument (Score:2, Insightful)
I know this sounds radical, but sometimes people note that there laws in a different country that - shockingly - ALREADY ACTUALLY HANDLE A PARTICULAR SITUATION CORRECTLY.
Re:Right Idea, Wrong Argument (Score:4, Insightful)