An Open Letter to Vimeo

Something a bit different this morning. A frien of mine had an amazing account on Vimeo where he shared some fairly rare and important non-commercial films and documentaries that he felt would be of benefit for all to see. Vimeo cancelled this account. Here is Vajra’s Description of the situation and his response to Vimeo

Vimeo just deleted my entire collection of inspirational, educational videos that I had collected to help inform those looking for information that isn’t being mass-marketed as fact by Fox & co. It included Spirit Science videos, RSA Animates, Adam Curtis’ brilliant documentaries that tell us what’s really happening under the surface, Nassim Haramein’s lectures on a new way of looking at science using sacred geometry… and other very empowering info.

Vimeo said in a letter, “Your videos have been removed for violating the Upload Rules of Vimeo. Vimeo does not allow TV Shows, movie trailers, or stuff you found on the web. If you believe this was in error, please reply to this email in a civil manner with your reasoning (“I see other people do it” is not a valid reason).”

So, I replied,

Hi,

I joined Vimeo because I felt the principles behind your company respected the rights of every person to share information – which is a great gift of the Internet age. So much access to information, to which the excessive restriction of copyright laws are in itself a violation of basic human rights. There are only few companies that understand this now, and they happen to be the ones who see sense. Saying that piracy and copyright infringement costs the original artists and companies severe losses is NOT AN EXCUSE. First of all, they make more than enough. You and I both know this. We need a place where we can actually share information that EMPOWERS people, and that is what I was using my account on Vimeo for.

Just as one must fight against an unjust law that once made African-Americans secondary citizens, in the same way the excuse of copyright infringement (which you and I both know is largely being pushed with the agenda of having a monopoly on the kind of information people receive) simply cannot be accepted as it is an unjust law set up for the purposes of discrimination and vested interests.

Pls forward this message to the heads of Vimeo. You have a choice ahead of you. To stand up for what is right, or to back an unfair law that seeks only to enslave people.

I for one will try and find a place to share information where they see the common sense of what I am saying here. Bottom Line: People have a right to information that they are not getting through mass media. And we share this information through social network and social media related sites such as yours. All such sites are going to be faced with this choice in the coming days.

Dissapointed. I will be sharing this letter in blogs, tumblr and other places where the truth behind these words can be spread.

I realize this topic is controversial and that Vimeo among other sites have been threatened (and faced) with lawsuits and have thus become hyper-vigilant, going overboard in terms of policing themselves. I do find something non-courageous in this stance. Like so many other areas, I also find that this is another in which one solution does not fit all situations yet find too few willing to use discernment.