It seems that every day we are hearing about more and more situations where businesses prove to be not only unreliable, but untrustworthy as well. Recently the RIAA has started a 3-strikes project. They would have ISPs ban users from connecting to the internet after they have been accused of piracy three times. The plan requires only accusation, not proof, to disconnect users. It is essentially about criminalizing the customer to try to grab more money.
The RIAA has been paranoid about online piracy for the better part of a decade. During which they have schemed and sued, lobbied Congress, created advertising campaigns full of falicies, and spread FUD (fear, uncertainty, and doubt). They persistantly ignore the fact that the advent of the original Napster saw unprecedented climbs in music sales after years of declining sales. Instead accusing Napster of stealing their money, while blindly ignoring the enormous value that music piracy involved. The more actions they take, the more the walls close in around them. While the internet and its many content pirates are not actually stealing sales away from musicians what it is doing is providing a new (and cheaper) way for artists to expose themselves to vast audiences around the world. This exposure and the new distribution methods it provides makes the RIAA, the middlemen, obsolete. Big record labels are now just an evil of the past that is in its terrible death-throes.
The new 3-strikes project from the RIAA is one of those last-ditch efforts to save themselves. They refuse to adapt and so now they expect others to hold up their business model. For that they look to politicians and ISPs. This is not surprising considering their track record. What is surprising is that the ISPs, whom have all the real leverage here, are working with the RIAA to help them with their project. The ISPs are not required by law, their only real motivation are the empty legal threats that the RIAA has been making. However despite not being required we are still seeing stories of multiple ISPs that are working with the RIAA to implement this program. This includes AT&T, Comcast, and Cox.
What I don’t get though is why? Why would these companies give into these demands? What are they getting out of it aside from a bunch of angry customers? These are all good questions. And while we continue to mull them over there is some good news on this front. For some time now Verizon has out and out refused to have anything to do with this and other related projects from the RIAA or the MPAA. Not only that, but now an Australian ISP is standing up and fighting for its customers. I see this as a good sign that there is a major pushback happening even on the corporate level. Though it does bring up fears that the record labels will just go crying to some politicians and make the cooperation legally required.
I would encourage everyone to contact their ISP and tell them that they will not agree to this. Tell them to just say no to greedy, self-serving record labels. Contact your local political representatives and protest these actions. Get your voice heard.
Related Stories:
- Austalian ISP Stands Up For Users In Court — Claims They’re Not Violating Copyright
- AT&T And Comcast’s Non-Denial Denial Of Three Strikes
- AT&T exec: ISP will never terminate service on RIAA’s word
- ISPs Testing RIAA’s 3 Strikes Program
-Pjerky
Tags: AT&T, Australia, Comcast, Congress, Consumer Rights, Cox, FUD, Hollywood, IP, ISPs, lobbiest, piracy, RIAA, TechDirt, Verizon
