Music industry drops lawsuits for file-sharing – ISPs now watchdogs
Ever since the music industry saw how people were sharing music using Napster, it has fought a war against illegal file-sharers. Up until now, the lines of battle were being drawn in a courtroom with both individuals and groups of people sued for sharing music. But the music industry, lead by General RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) is now changing tact, and has employed mercenaries to do their bidding.
The last few years have seen a colossal battle between the music industry and its customers. Record labels were sick at the thought that people could use the Internet to share songs and albums without paying for them and so decided to fight dirty. Thousands of people, mainly in America, were taken to court and fined large amounts of money for sharing files that didn’t belong to them.
The RIAA and its paymasters knew they’d never be able to catch everyone who has ever shared a song online illegally. If they tried it they’d have to indict everyone with an Internet connection. Instead, these high profile court cases were brought in order to scare others into not partaking in illegal file-sharing. It’s clearly worked because no-one shares music illegally these days, do they?
It’s taken the music industry longer than most to realize going after their own customers was never a good plan, but according to The Wall Street Journal, it may have now finally done so. While particularity heavy file-sharers could still be taken to court, the music industry seems to be trying a new tactic and employing ISPs as its lapdogs, sorry, I mean watchdogs.
The RIAA claims to have made preliminary agreements with a number of as-yet unnamed ISPs. The agreement means that rather than receiving a lawsuit the suspected offender will receive an email warning from the ISP. The ISP will have been notified about the possible law-breaking by the RIAA.
If the file-sharer continues to share files illegally online they will receive more emails warning them over their conduct. Eventually, the ISP could slow down their service (so much for net neutrality) or even cut them off.
This is by no means a new idea. The French Government has already proposed legislation very similar to this while some British ISPs have already sent out warning letters to people suspected of illegal file sharing. It seems in the case of music piracy, where Europe leads, America follows.
Whether this new strategy will have any more luck than the last one remains to be seen but it is at least nice to see the music industry realizing how harmful its previous stance was, both in terms of PR and addressing the issue. Unfortunately, while the RIAA may be taking more of a role in the shadows, your ISP could be about to turn on you. So customers are still being shafted, it’s just the one doing the shafting that has changed.
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December 20th, 2008
It makes no sence to me why the music industry is so concerned with internet file sharing its not as thought they dont make enough money as it is.
Even some on liek 50 cent who’s music is on the same level i would expect from sewer rat managed to sell 691,000 copies of his latest album in its first week.
After i herd about the lawsuits for music sharing online i decided to not waste my time with american recorded music. If thats how they want to treat their consumers, Some one should consider starting a record company to replace them because they wont be around for much longer.