Very interesting. And thanks for the EFF link!

What concerns me is the blanket that can be cast to see what comes up without a judge or any proof of wrongdoing. I can't think of any other situation (besides homeland security) where this is allowed. Show a good reason to go fishing, then cast your small net.

It also concerns me that there doesn't seem to be a statue of limitations on this (see the college student charged for downloads done by roommates on a computer that is no longer in existance).

Finally, the people who are downloading music that they already own. They already bought the CD and for whatever reason they didn't burn the CD and instead downloaded it through alternative methods. Should they still be charged even though they already own the music?

This is a very slippery slope. It's no secret that I don't have an issue with file sharing/music swapping. I've also never used Kazza, Napster or Limewire to share my music. I do have an issue with the large, vague net that is being cast in a fishing expedition to see what comes up.

It doesn't say that at all. It points out, in great detail, why the RIAA's tactics are a failure, and then proposes a system that would allow for filesharing on a subscription basis.

Well, much of the article dealt with the methods the RIAA is using in its suits. While I agree that the RIAA should be allowed to prosecute people who are breaking the law, their use of illegal subpoenas and questionable definitions of who is responsible for the availability of illegal shared files. They've also been prosecuting people who have downloaded copies of music they have legally purchased (e.g., someone who was downloading songs they own CDs for because it was easier than the effort of ripping the CD themselves.

While I have no sympathy for someone who is illegally sharing music that gets caught, the article does raise some troubling questions about the way the RIAA is going about catching people and isn't just a "it's not a big deal to steal music, so they should just leave people alone."

Do we have to say 'hello' first, or can you send me a song you have before we become friends anyway? How good a friend must we be before sharing music one of us owns on the internet is as innocent as letting someone borrow a CD? I think the whole thing is a slippery slope of it's just too freaking bad that some things can be so easily shared among people. There's no way to stop it.

There's also plenty of ways to make money from it. So go ahead and find a price that people will pay for the ease of music acquisition.


But there's simply no stopping this kind of thing. You can't turn back time. And putting a finger in the dyke won't help. (Using the water analogy, and not the lesbian one.)