Posted on 03/24/2009 9:47:56 AM PDT by max americana
Under pressure from the big record labels, several countries around the world are cracking down hard on illegal file-sharers with a "three strikes, you're out" policy and the United States may be next. The basics are simple: Get caught three times sharing files illegally, and your Internet access gets cut off. But in a day and age when Internet access is almost as essential as a cell phone or electricity, should the music industry or Internet service providers [ISPs] have the power to determine who can and can't get online, particularly without criminal charges being filed? And what if there's no legal recourse for the customer whose service gets cut off? "In this country, you don't punish people with just allegations ... in Russia, it happens differently," says Gigi B. Sohn, president of Public Knowledge, a Washington, D.C., non-profit group specializing in digital rights. "It gives the RIAA [Recording Industry Association of America] way too much power, but it's going to take acquiescence from the ISPs [to happen]," Sohn says. "I think it's unfair and un-American in many different ways. No copyright holder should have that much power based on an allegation." SNIP: Details are hard to come by, and the ISPs aren't talking, but the ultimate punishment for repeat infringers who ignore warnings might be termination of Internet access. Internet speed could be slowed for those who ignore warnings but haven't quite reached termination level. "That is one possible outcome. That is not the only outcome," RIAA President Cary Sherman told FOXNews.com in an interview.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
or the download pricepoint is just not there yet.
look what happened with the itunes 99 cents made a difference.
The problem is the consumer is buying a song, the industry THINKS they are selling a recording in a particular format.
There has to be a “convenience price” that works. IOW something that has no DRM and is not draconian to use. (ie not slaved to itunes managment software)
I'm for amending the Constitution.
You’re an idiot. You’re not protesting anything. You’re just a selfish moron.
I think they should figure out a way to release music in a format that can’t be digitized. I don’t know if that’s even possible, but that’s what they should do.
Ok well if you're just going to resort to personal attacks there's no point in discussing it further. Good day, sir.
Except that in this case, there are still just as many tomatoes at the stand when they leave. Oops, doesn't fit your "stealing" paradigm very well...
Good. You’re not worth “discussing” anything. You’re just a babbler.
Please let's not resort to personal attacks.
It hasn’t merely changed. It’s gone. There is no business model for sound recordings anymore. It’s a terrible loss.
>> Because I believe it’s an unjust law.
First, I fail to see how it is unjust to require you to pay for merchandise (including intellectual property). Second, we are not empowered to violate those laws that we disagree with.
>> Like slavery. So it’s a form of civil protest. Like throwing tea in the harbor.
Please spare me the high-and-mighty rationalization. You’re no Thomas Paine or Harriet Tubman. You’re a petty thief — stealing the fruit of other peoples’ labor without compensating them.
Fundamentally, you’re no different than the liberals that pass confiscatory taxes. You unilaterally put within the public domain the property of other people. Capitalist, my ass.
SnakeDoc
First of all, how many times do I have to buy "The Best of the Eagles"? or say.... Dire Straits? I bought them in the 70's, bought some more of the same songs, again, in the 80's, copied them to cassettes and then even bought some CD's, now their on my hard drive. But it's a pain in the neck.
So I've bought some songs 2 or 3 times.
How about some old Johnny Winter stuff?
Some music is difficult to find and some stuff I've found like a live version of Hendrix and Billy Gibbons is impossible to find in any store or web site.
Finally, the musicians are making money the old fashioned way... performing. They get a cut of the gate, the T-Shirts, posters and whatever else they can get a hold of.
Now I have to admit it would be tough for a band like Steely Dan to "tour", but that's how musicians make money now. Performing.
Incorrect. A downloaded song that was not paid for is a loss of revenue. It's stealing. I love how you thieves squirm at the reality of your deeds. Just admit it. You're a petty thief.
And Harriet Tubman is not Thomas Paine and Thomas Paine isn't Harriet Tubman. What is your point?
I agree. Stealing music has made the sound recording a lost art. It’s a terrific loss.
>> I think they should figure out a way to release music in a format that cant be digitized. I dont know if thats even possible, but thats what they should do.
This would kill more sales than it would generate. I buy music and movies specifically for the purpose of digitizing them for my own personal use (on IPods, AppleTVs, etc.).
Without this capability, the item is useless to me, and they will therefore lose my sale.
SnakeDoc
I buy mp3 downloads from Amazon all the time. They are only .99 and I can pick and choose what I want. And no DRM.
We have a long tradition of civil disobedience in the face of unjust laws. This is an unjust law, and I am carrying out civil disobedience in the face of it.
Because I believe it’s an unjust law. Like slavery. So it’s a form of civil protest. Like throwing tea in the harbor.
_________
LOL.
You don’t think anyone is actually buying your self-serving and incredibly silly notion that having to pay someone for their work is like slavery, do you?
You are as transparent as an empty jewel case. You just want what you want, and since the technology exists enabling you to take what you want, what little remains of your conscience recognizes that you must come up with a plausible argument for why it’s OK to steal.
And the best you came up with is the slavery analog? Too funny.
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