The UK government has
published an amendment to the Digital Britain Report which suggests cutting off the internet connection of "hardcore pirates". The BBC article also suggests "illegal downloaders" will be penalised.
We know that a hardcore minority of people share lots of content. But cutting off their network connection seems drastic. The risk of cutting off the innocent parent because their child has shared some insignificant pop song online cuts at the very heart of the freedom of speech. The next step after this is scanning all emails to check copyright content, akin to opening all our mail.
The issue to solve here is how to support the creative industries. This is the only viable reason for worrying about file-sharing. This discussion is best summed up by the mistake of confusing a "music industry" with a "record industry". The record industry was built off the back of recording technology. Music is recorded and distributed on vinyl, tapes and then CDs. These copies are scarce and therefore valuable. Massive profits ensued.
But now digital code and the internet has made it almost free to distribute copies of music. The recordings are not scarce anymore. So there isn't much value in them.
This is the record industry, not the music industry.
So if the government wants to ensure the value of its music industry, it needs to help it find a valuable product. Music is as relevant as ever. And the artists have talent that is scarce and therefore valuable. We've also developed an amazing distribution system called the internet which means an artist could access an audience of billions at very low cost. Surely there must be a reason to celebrate in there. Cash aside, we can spread brilliant music to everyone at low cost. And an artist can build a relationship with their audience, like
Imogen Heap does well. This creates additional value in her live performances, her merchandise, even her records.
The record industry will never be worth what it was. Copies are almost ubiquitous. And let's support artists in finding an audience and creating something scarce and valuable in their work. If art is to be commercialised then do it well, like
Rockstar selling tracks within GTA IV.
Let's not restrict the very freedom on which the internet is based in order to persecute a few teenagers sharing files. By all means, keep distribution of copyrighted material as illegal, and persecute those that seek to profit illegally from the copyright of others. But realise that trying to stop file-sharing by restricting the flow of information is a perversion of the internet, detrimental to our future and will not save the creative industries.
The internet means information can be shared more easily than before it. Let's focus on how this can benefit humanity rather than protect antiquated industries.
