Cos104
Cos104 is probably my most useless class this semester and gives New Student Orientation a run for Most Useless Class Ever. So far, the only thing I've learned in this class is that email spam got it's name from a Monty Python sketch, which, in and of itself, almost makes spam cool. However, I will admit there was one part of Cos104 I was looking forward to - the computer ethics section. More specifically the File Sharing part of the discussion. I'd consider myself decently informed on the entire controversy considering I wrote my 10-page Expository Writing paper on it. So I was extremely sad to hear Cramer say we wouldn't be discussing it in class, but instead we'd just be posting about it on Blackboard. He posted some questions and I gave decent answers to each and then looked at others' responses and found I'd written much more than everyone else. But I hope some people read it and get informed. I was pretty proud of it so I wanted to post it here. Read if you care to...
The RIAA is the association that represents the all the major and most of the minor record labels in America. It sets regulations within the music industry and helps record dealers negotiate prices with retailers. Critics would call it a "Good Old Club" or almost a union for record companies, making it hard for independent record labels and companies to break through to the mainstream market. But that's just being cynical.
Currently the RIAA is scouring P2P programs, harvesting IP addresses of the "major" (or what they define as "major") file sharers, subpoenaing their Internet providers in federal court under the DMCA, and then filing civil lawsuits against the offenders. They are also putting fake or distorted files disguised as mp3's on P2P networks to disrupt the flow of mp3's across the networks. If you've ever downloaded a file and all it is dead air or static, you know what I'm talking about. Many music execs in the companies are also helping to promote and further the American political system by with campaign donations to both the Republican and Democratic parties ($37 million in 2000 alone).
Recently, the RIAA has been sued and settled with many file sharers, usually for somewhere around $3,000 (or whatever the sharer seems to have in their bank account). They have also been lobbying Congress for stricter rules, more legislation, and revamp of the copyright laws. In addition, they have been developing CD that cannot be copied onto computers. The RIAA is also locked in a court case with Verizon Wireless, which could go under Supreme Court review very soon. (Verizon is refusing to turn over personal information of customers whose IP addresses the RIAA had subpoenaed. I think they were mumbling something about their customers' right to "privacy" again.)
Personally, I disagree with much of what the RIAA has and is doing (as if you hadn't guessed that yet...). The RIAA isn't handling the controversy correctly. In all their propagan... I mean literature they equate file sharing with stealing a CD from a store, but then sue the offenders at $150,000 per song when stealing a CD from a store has a maximum fine of $2,500 ($150,000 per song X 12 songs per CD...). To me, the punishment isn't fitting the crime. You might think they're just suing for more to try to compensate themselves for the 7% reduction (approx. $300 million a year) in music sales they claim file sharing costs the music industry. The RIAA must have forgotten that the US has been in a recession for the last few years and that the average reduction in business throughout the country was around 12%. They're also quick to dismiss independent studies showing from Harvard University or Soundscan (you know, those BillBoard Top 100 guys) that file sharing has little or no effect on the music industry. It is true, however, that there is no ethical argument for file sharing. I’ll repeat myself - there is no sound argument for the “right-ness” of file sharing. However, instead of alienating music fans with lawsuits, why doesn’t the RIAA throw its support to programs like iTunes, where they can sell albums for around $10.00 and not have to mess with packaging, shipping, blank CD production, or compromising with Walmart. Plus they wouldn’t have to worry about those pesky Maryland price-gouging lawsuits. iTunes and other file sharing companies have been doing a lot of business. Hey, maybe Taylor could provide students with free Napster like many universities have done. What’s an extra hundred bucks a month on a$ 26,000-a-year tab, they might even be able to finance it through the leftover DC money because there’s no way baked scrod and rice pilaf costs $2,800-a-year.
The RIAA is the association that represents the all the major and most of the minor record labels in America. It sets regulations within the music industry and helps record dealers negotiate prices with retailers. Critics would call it a "Good Old Club" or almost a union for record companies, making it hard for independent record labels and companies to break through to the mainstream market. But that's just being cynical.
Currently the RIAA is scouring P2P programs, harvesting IP addresses of the "major" (or what they define as "major") file sharers, subpoenaing their Internet providers in federal court under the DMCA, and then filing civil lawsuits against the offenders. They are also putting fake or distorted files disguised as mp3's on P2P networks to disrupt the flow of mp3's across the networks. If you've ever downloaded a file and all it is dead air or static, you know what I'm talking about. Many music execs in the companies are also helping to promote and further the American political system by with campaign donations to both the Republican and Democratic parties ($37 million in 2000 alone).
Recently, the RIAA has been sued and settled with many file sharers, usually for somewhere around $3,000 (or whatever the sharer seems to have in their bank account). They have also been lobbying Congress for stricter rules, more legislation, and revamp of the copyright laws. In addition, they have been developing CD that cannot be copied onto computers. The RIAA is also locked in a court case with Verizon Wireless, which could go under Supreme Court review very soon. (Verizon is refusing to turn over personal information of customers whose IP addresses the RIAA had subpoenaed. I think they were mumbling something about their customers' right to "privacy" again.)
Personally, I disagree with much of what the RIAA has and is doing (as if you hadn't guessed that yet...). The RIAA isn't handling the controversy correctly. In all their propagan... I mean literature they equate file sharing with stealing a CD from a store, but then sue the offenders at $150,000 per song when stealing a CD from a store has a maximum fine of $2,500 ($150,000 per song X 12 songs per CD...). To me, the punishment isn't fitting the crime. You might think they're just suing for more to try to compensate themselves for the 7% reduction (approx. $300 million a year) in music sales they claim file sharing costs the music industry. The RIAA must have forgotten that the US has been in a recession for the last few years and that the average reduction in business throughout the country was around 12%. They're also quick to dismiss independent studies showing from Harvard University or Soundscan (you know, those BillBoard Top 100 guys) that file sharing has little or no effect on the music industry. It is true, however, that there is no ethical argument for file sharing. I’ll repeat myself - there is no sound argument for the “right-ness” of file sharing. However, instead of alienating music fans with lawsuits, why doesn’t the RIAA throw its support to programs like iTunes, where they can sell albums for around $10.00 and not have to mess with packaging, shipping, blank CD production, or compromising with Walmart. Plus they wouldn’t have to worry about those pesky Maryland price-gouging lawsuits. iTunes and other file sharing companies have been doing a lot of business. Hey, maybe Taylor could provide students with free Napster like many universities have done. What’s an extra hundred bucks a month on a$ 26,000-a-year tab, they might even be able to finance it through the leftover DC money because there’s no way baked scrod and rice pilaf costs $2,800-a-year.