"Between the RIAA and a Hard Place"

Filed in archive Commentary on May 6, 2006

What do the young people think? Andrew Harden is a 20 year old student at a community college student. He studies both web design and journalism. He wrote an Op-Ed piece on the RIAA argument that having a Shared folder on your computer is sufficient for prosecution.

The summary from his article:

Elektra v. Barker won't destroy the Internet, it's too big and at this point, too necessary to be litigated out of existence. But it will set a dangerous precedent, where innovation becomes second fiddle to profit margins and revenue streams. It will signal the end of adaptability in business. Businesses won't need to change with the times, they'll be able to change the times themselves. Instead of finding a new model, or making better product, you can just rent a congressperson get a bill passed, and change the rules to suit your needs. Instead of changing your strategy to win the game, you can now just change the game. "Copyright" will become the most feared word in America, the way "communism" once was. And in the end, we as consumers, customers, fans, and even creators, won't have any rights. That is a frightening proposition.