So, here's the latest on copyright:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/internet-providers-join-in-web-piracy-fight/2011/07/07/gIQAm0g12H_story.html
Now. Here is the thing. First of all, what is the 'evidence of piracy'? Many years ago I caught my ISP (long gone out of business) reading my email. They, in fact, admitted to it. Given I routinely send MY IP over email, I don't want my ISP reading my email. I can't encrypt it because publishers don't accept it that way. I want them to keep their nose out.
Personally, I don't use peer to peer downloads. I don't trust them. But what is the next step...to start searching people's computers to make sure every MP3 on them came from a legal download service? (as opposed to copied from CDs in order to save wear on the discs, something I am pretty sure *everyone* does). Checking for multiple copies of single license software on the same IP? These things are technically feasible now.
And while with this program the stick is 'internet throttling', it's still a stick. Where is the positive incentive for people to spend money on content they can get for free? Especially as many, many people who do download pirated material do so because they *don't have the money*. That's not lost sales for the content provider. It's only a lost sale if the person would have bought it...which makes a lot of the 'cost of piracy' figures off base. In fact, the biggest loss many companies experience is the cost of trying to stop piracy.
Accepting that piracy will happen is important in this day and age. And sure, educating people is fine, but that college student who's living on ramen noodles? You can educate them all you like, they aren't going to miss a meal to buy a CD and they aren't going to go without music either. This is simple human nature we're dealing with. Furthermore, many people see nothing wrong with piracy. It's not viewed as the same as theft because the person does not lose anything tangible.
The only answer I can see is to make piracy not 'cool' and not 'done'. Furthermore, to come up with some incentive for legal purchases. Unfortunately, I don't see a way to do it. It's the same as people grumbling about taxes whilst taking advantage of what their taxes pay for. Also seems to be human nature.
Maybe we need to make sending money to an artist a tax deductible donation.
I don't know if it's such an issue about 'cool' as it is 'convenient'. I think it depends sometimes on what people pirate. You know some people will think nothing of pirating music but would never think of touching a book. But part of it comes from the changing role of the internet and file sharing and things like that. People shared music and books before, you know? Especially music. And now they're restricted from sharing songs? Though on the same token the industry does have to make money. I think it's a tricky situation whatever way you look at it and will only be resolved (or not) through time.
ReplyDeleteWhat I mean is that it's socially acceptable to pirate a CD but not to shoplift one. People do make a serious argument that there is a difference.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I do think that the copyright wars have gotten extreme. I think, for example, that a stand alone video game that demands a constant internet connection or it closes is...well...a pure incentive to pirate there, because A. Not everyone has broadband and B. Internet DOES go down sometimes...
Yeah it is socially acceptable, I think, because partly people feel like their right to share is being infringed upon and partly because it's so much harder to get caught. Also no one is directly hurt. And also, I think, because all the restrictions about what a consumer can or can't do with the product they paid for is a little annoying.
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