Uploaded copyrighted works should be compensated, say Hong Kong internet users, though doubt remains over who pays
But respondents to survey by Copyright Alliance unsure who should foot the bill
Three out of five internet users in Hong Kong agree holders of copyrighted works need to be compensated if their work is uploaded and shared online, a survey has found, but few said they should be the ones paying.
A survey of 1,000 people, commissioned by the Hong Kong Copyright Alliance and conducted by YouGov in September, found that while 59 per cent of respondents were in favour of compensation, only 34 per cent said the people who downloaded the work should be the ones compensating.
Slightly more than half of the 59 per cent said that whoever uploaded the work, for example a film or piece of music, should pay up. A little less than half said the operators of the hosting website should compensate the copyright holders.
READ MORE: Hong Kong copyright law would 'respect freedom of expression', official says
Robert Lee, chairman of the Hong Kong Creative Industries Association, said although the government was lobbying lawmakers to pass the Copyright (Amendment) Bill, there were still shortcomings.
"[The amendment] still cannot protect copyright holders fully," Lee said at a General Chamber of Commerce conference yesterday, where the survey result was announced.
The chamber's chief executive Shirley Yuen, added: "Hong Kong's copyright law is falling behind other more developed places. It is time for the law to keep abreast of modern development so Hong Kong's entertainment and creative industries will not be affected."
The government has been trying for years to strengthen the law to offer more protection for copyright holders but has faced opposition amid concerns works featuring "secondary creations" - such as new lyrics to existing tunes, which are often political parodies - would not be allowed.