File Sharing and the War On Drugs

CNN.com - Music industry sues students over alleged file-swapping networks - Apr. 4, 2003

Here's a rant for ya...

I think the RIAA needs to spend their money on other things than sueing college kids for sharing files. File sharing is stealing as far a copyright law goes and I understand that. However, I don't think that there is anything that can be done to stop it and the RIAA should think about therapy more than prevention.

It makes me think about America's war on drugs...

We spend countless billions of dollars every year trying to arrest and jail the drug dealers. Drugs are bad and I understand that- I don't want any of my future-kids on drugs. But, the simple fact is that people like drugs and the government will never change that. No matter how much we spend, we will never win the war because its focused on the supply and not the demand. People want drugs and as long as this is true, the supply will find a way.

I think the same is true of the RIAA's war on file sharing- they are looking at it from the supply side. They are supposing that if they can sue people for sharing files, they will have a net effect on the supply and put an end to illegal file sharing. But, like drugs, people like file sharing and the only answer is to create demand for something better.

This relates back to my point about prevention vs. therapy. In both cases, I think that they need to look at ways to handle the demand- not the supply. To me, therapy means giving people the means to make the right decision- not preventing them from making the wrong one.

While I don't have much input on the whole war on drugs thing, I think there is a way for the record industry to deal with the war on file sharing: Create a viable alternative. I know- this is not a new idea. :-)

I think they should assume that file sharing is going to happen and they are powerless- stop wasting money on legal fees. Then, stop looking at their business model the same- it's outdated- the rules have changed. They need to stop looking at file sharing as the enemy and figure out how to make it work in their favor. Again, no big news there.

I honestly think that people want to do the right thing- they(we) want to pay for music they like- they want to support their artists. But, they simply don't have a next-best alternative. From what I've seen the Record label spensored sharing systems work, but not enough.

I fear for the future of the major record labels. I think a technology has come along that has crushed the very foundation of their existence. I hate to see the industry crumble, but if they keep trying to prevent rather than promote good alternatives, I don' t think they have a chance.

But, really and truthfully- what do I know anyway?