So now French users can be (can be, under the current law) banned from using the internet for up to a year, if they are caught downloading illegal music, and a fine of 300k Euros. [AFP] Oh, my! And apparently, Sweden is also monitoring user download activity? Any word on that, Julz~?
There was also this article talking about a DRM server the Japanese RIAA wants to use to check on the music their users are playing on their phones… considering we (iTunes users) have already moved away from DRM tracks, I think it’s a very bad idea…
And then comes this very interesting post/article by dear Lily Allen for The Times, in which she expresses some of her thoughts about the issue, and the opinion of some of her more “legendary” colleagues…
Music piracy is having a dangerous effect on British music, but some rich and successful artists such as Nick Mason, of Pink Floyd, and Ed O’Brien, of Radiohead, don’t think so. Last week, they told The Times that file sharing is fine. It probably is for them. They do sell-out arena tours and have the biggest Ferrari collections in the world. For new talent, though, file sharing is a disaster — it makes it harder and harder for new acts to emerge.
That’s partly true. But so it’s this…
By moving to a microtransaction model (charging <£1 for an album) for recorded music and increasing the emphasis on live concerts musicians can increase their revenue stream and attempt to reduce the abuse of their IP.
I understand what Lily Allen is saying, but the music industry spends too much money on advertising and pushing poor catchy music.
If your product is so good, then it does not need advertising or pushing.
Itunes and other sites are still overpriced in terms of album costs.
Books survived the photocopier, music will survive the internet. Real musicians have realised concerts are more of a money spinner and are have brought live music back to the front of entertainment.
As I’ve mentioned before, I watch as many films, and listen to even more music than I ever did. I still buy CDs, but only the really good ones. The ones that are worth my $14 for album/DVD package. Right now, they just happen to be Asian albums… which actually are worth my +$30. So I am paying $30 or $40 for a CD from Japan because it’s good. Wanna wonder why I haven’t bought much from anything else?
And yes, digital content is way overpriced.
Yeah they are monitoring us but pls, like the popo have that much time in their hands that they can monitor over 3 million users….
but I don’t get it. Do they monitor download links? or peer to peer like Limewire, or torrent? Do they block Piratebay or Mininova and other torrent sites?
In that case, they should just borrow the “great wall of china” to block sites. Oh yeah, they supposedly hate the great wall of china because it goes against freedom and democrazy and stuff. xD
They are watching torrents and uploaders. They are more interested in those who upload with the intention of having others dl cus that is when u are braking the law. Piratebay is not banned but they did force the founders into court, and now they have to pay millions of dollars cus they were found guilty.
The discussion is running wild here in Sweden but I am not following it cus the whole thing is down right stupid.
We have a new government institution called the “antipiracy bureau” they are like so bitchy and very “stick up the ass” stiff with their talk about that every dl is such a huge crime and what not….
Actually, that whole “uploading” breaking the law thing is all fuzzy. You know who breaks the law? the one who profits from those downloads. Loads of them here…
Coz then I would be breaking the law for letting my friends watch my DVD, right?