Musings on the RIAA’s “Musings”
Today, the talented and beautiful master of PR and spin for the RIAA, Cara Ducksworth, posted a blog post entitled “Musings on Tenenbaum Case.”
Almost immediately, TechDirt jumped in to correct some misinformed “facts” asserted by the music industry.
The issue of P2P file-sharing isn’t going to disappear because of Joel’s trial, and a solution will hopefully emerge with continued discussions from passionate individuals.
We encourage and welcome the debate.
“…a solution will hopefully emerge…”
Indeed. But you will not help your cause by trying to defend file-sharers. You need a figurehead who is more sympathetic than Mr. Tennenbaum. Someone, let’s say, who would LIKE to acquire music legitimately, but cannot because of availability, license agreements, or cost. Someone who has not uploaded songs to P2P networks. Someone who has not violated copyright, thereby becoming a target for the RIAA. Not a scoundrel; a scrupulous individual.
In short, you should choose your battles carefully instead of letting the RIAA define the terms of engagement.
A filesharer who has not uploaded songs to P2P networks? Who hasn’t violated copyrights? Yeah, let’s fight an unjust law by holding up someone who’s never broken it…. You couldn’t miss the more point more.
I’m sorry, Sam, but what is “the point”? I thought the point was to reform the restrictive license agreements being enforced by groups like the RIAA. You don’t have to be a file-sharer to resent these restrictions and the exorbitant costs for CDs & legal downloads. I resent all these things, but I do not engage in illegal file-sharing. I also resent freeloaders who distribute music that they have no right to possess, let alone give away.
Yes, there are people who don’t share files. Some of these people might like to do so, but are deterred by the risk of penalties (Yes, the RIAA’s enforcement actions are effective). Others of us view unfettered file-sharing as offensive and illegal. My own belief, shared by many, is that unauthorized file-sharing is unfair to musicians and to the people who value music enough to pay for it. I would be very surprised if the majority of U.S. voters approve of file-sharing. Maybe a survey is needed.
But here is my point, Sam: if you want to bring about change in the music business, you shouldn’t rally behind someone who has egregiously violated the law; who has lied about it repeatedly; who has made THOUSANDS of files available even after receiving warnings about this activity. Joel Tenenbaum is not a poster boy for fighting “an unjust law.” He’s a model of stupidity and avarice.
Then you become the poster boy, withstand a 4 year legal battle, have your computer seized and get ordered to pay $675,000.
@Chantee J.: I don’t understand your point. Why would the RIAA come after me? I don’t pirate music, even if I think it is overpriced. If I don’t like it enough to pay, I don’t bother with it. If more people acted this way, instead of pirating music that isn’t worth the asking price, don’t you think we would bring about change in the music business? And the RIAA wouldn’t be able to do anything about it.
All music today is utter shite,i have bought maybe 4 cds in the past 10 years and that was all from the early 90s..I download the odd track here and there and also some music i had but the cd got lost,scratched or stolen but that’s it.
I download about 6 t.v programs a week that i refuse to wait 2 years to appear on t.v in N.Z.(i purchase those later as boxsets by special order-which costs me alot more than waiting).
Since 03 i have downloaded maybe a couple of thousand movies(THANK YOU HOLLYWOOD), however since 03 i have purchased around 500 legitamate dvds 90% of which i would never have hired or bought if i hadn’t been able to preview them first.I got so sick and tired of wasting my money on movies only to discover the best parts where all in the trailer and i’d been ripped off.It is ripping me off if you say “the funniest movie of the year” in the promo and upon watching it i find it would be funnier watching day old male chickens undergoing instantaniously fragmentation in the hatchery mincer!!.
In short the consumer has been sodomised by the entertainment industry for decades and so have the artists.The filesharers are the only ones looking out for the artists these days and our way is the future.So you can either embrace us or feel our WRATH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.