Megaupload and my general concern over censorship
The government shutting down megaupload really threw me for a loop. I suppose I would not have been so surprised if the site had been run from the United State but the fact that it was run out of New Zealand really gave me pause. Apparently each country's citizen's have to obey United States laws if the internet site that you own is used by United State citizens. The idea of a free internet, one where the free exchange of ideas is promoted just got a lot smaller. You see in Canada we have been talking about what is a violation of artist's rights and at this point we are more liberal than the United States. But if the FBI can shut down all of the sites that other countries use just because their citizens are violating their laws then what does it matter if what I am doing in my country is not against the law. Also I may not understand the situation but isn't it like shutting down the zerox company because some people can do a trademark violation with a copier?
I sincerely believe that this United States legilation (SOPA) is being pushed by an entertainment industry that is in fear of its life. But for the music industry anyway I see them as being somewhat the cause of their own misery by not providing the type of products that encourage people to purchase them. I'm old enough to remember a time when people anticipated a new album coming out, as much for the album art as for the music. I still have some albums that are hardly played because I would tape them when I got them and then play the tape over and over again keeping the album in pristine shape. I would never think of taping the music off one of my friends as I wanted the album; I wanted to read the liner notes which were full of poems from the musicians or funny ancedotes and lots of pictures and cover art. Now all you get is this little CD with no art or credits to speak of or simply a downloaded MP3 - there is no wonder that people are getting music, TV and movies for free if they can.
It is the same with books, the ebooks are good but the ebook sellers are trying to sell them for almost the same as what a normal book is being sold for and the formatting is not even properly done half of the time.
If people are treated with disrespect by the entertainment industry, the industry will be treated with disrespect by the people. If it seems to the fans that the musicians, writers or actors or big business corporate gents and ladies are just out there for the money, then why contribute to that less than laudible goal? Certainly, in these difficult economic times.
But my main concern is that the United States government is using the same type of large scale operation in order to "take down" a civil non US company in the same manner that they would have gone after a drug cartel, pornographers or shudder to think terrorists. My first response was "How dare they" but my second response after realizing that they did was "Oh my God".
I sincerely believe that this United States legilation (SOPA) is being pushed by an entertainment industry that is in fear of its life. But for the music industry anyway I see them as being somewhat the cause of their own misery by not providing the type of products that encourage people to purchase them. I'm old enough to remember a time when people anticipated a new album coming out, as much for the album art as for the music. I still have some albums that are hardly played because I would tape them when I got them and then play the tape over and over again keeping the album in pristine shape. I would never think of taping the music off one of my friends as I wanted the album; I wanted to read the liner notes which were full of poems from the musicians or funny ancedotes and lots of pictures and cover art. Now all you get is this little CD with no art or credits to speak of or simply a downloaded MP3 - there is no wonder that people are getting music, TV and movies for free if they can.
It is the same with books, the ebooks are good but the ebook sellers are trying to sell them for almost the same as what a normal book is being sold for and the formatting is not even properly done half of the time.
If people are treated with disrespect by the entertainment industry, the industry will be treated with disrespect by the people. If it seems to the fans that the musicians, writers or actors or big business corporate gents and ladies are just out there for the money, then why contribute to that less than laudible goal? Certainly, in these difficult economic times.
But my main concern is that the United States government is using the same type of large scale operation in order to "take down" a civil non US company in the same manner that they would have gone after a drug cartel, pornographers or shudder to think terrorists. My first response was "How dare they" but my second response after realizing that they did was "Oh my God".