Reshaping Finland’s digital environment
A great many actors have a stake in the digital world, so bringing about concrete and tangible change requires carefully thought-out alliance building and pooled resources. Everyone, from authors and performers through to technology companies, deserves to have their voices heard before decisions are made.
Finnish author society Teosto is an active player in the digital debate in Finland. The copyright organisation representing more than 26,000 music authors and publishers recently joined forces with recording industry trade association IFPI, the media company Sanoma Entertainment and Nokia to take stock of Finland’s digital situation and publish an agenda for change.
The fight against piracy is a top priority. In Finland, like other countries, the illegal distribution of copyrighted content has had a marked negative impact on the music industry – bringing about falling sales and, as a result, less investment in new music and artists…meaning there’s less music on offer for legitimate fans.
The initiative’s call for firm action against piracy takes a leaf out of the books of countries like South Korea whose legislation against pirates has yielded positive results, reversing the signs of piracy’s devastation.
Innovative ways to ensure payment for authors are also discussed in the paper. Exploring the possibility of gradually supplementing existing levies with a system of taxes just goes to show the flexibility that underpins how author societies work.
Finally, the paper calls for the improved availability of archived content – an essential means of ensuring the full use of Finland’s cultural heritage.
All four signatories of the initiative urge for rapid legal action to ensure the online world remains a mutually reinforcing environment for cultural diversity and economic growth.