Illegal Download National Alert System is about to be for real.
How would you feel if the Internet turned against you? Instead of going to google or delaware1059.com you were redirected to a site with 'educational' material about piracy??
I believe the IP providers should not have this much power over what you say and do. It's an invasion of privacy that has dangerous implications.
I was reading stories on the internet today, and although I might not do this as an on air topic, it's something that I do follow closely.. The AP says that "The Copyright Alert System, organized by the recording and film industry, is being activated this week to target consumers using peer-to-peer software." Hmm, I wonder, even though we subscribe to the AP (unlike some broadcast stations), if I'll be busted for violating copyright by posting this in a news story?
More from the AP "Under the new system, complaints will prompt an Internet service provider — such as Verizon or AT&T — to notify a customer whose Internet address has been detected sharing files illegally. A person will be given up to six opportunities to stop before the Internet provider will take more drastic steps, such as temporarily slowing their connection, or redirecting Internet traffic until they acknowledge they received a notice or review educational materials about copyright law."
Wow... redirecting your Internet to review educational materials. I'm glad such a system is about to be implemented that can be used for thought control whenever we start clicking on opinion sites that the P.T.B. don't like. Maybe then we can be redirected to reeducation site about our political or moral views. That might seem like a stretch, and maybe it is, but I am 100% sure that the ailing and aging record companies should not have this much power. You will have your speech and ideas limited because you downloaded the new Kanye record.
Now, let me reiterate for the umpteenth time, I am completely against illegal downloading. It's theft. Stealing ANYTHING irrespective of it's value is theft and one needs to held accountable for that. It never ceases to amaze me the lengths we will go to justify our own crimes, sins and misdemeanors. But, I also believe that it's a delivery system problem and a problem that starts in the human heart. Because the truth is, no matter how many regs are in place and laws, man will still 'share' and steal and rip and borrow. But without a heart change, we'll never even acknowledge the theft as being wrong, anyway, so it's a fruitless effort to even discuss it. It's funny the amount of people who call themselves 'good people' that still steal on a daily basis. I caught somebody reading through my personal messages to my wife today, and I'd bet if you asked them, they'd say "I'm a pretty good person." That's part of the problem, we won't acknowledge wrong when it's something we want to do.
I've heard many times that it's a matter of quality. But, you know that's not true. If it were true that all movies and music sucked, then why would you take the time to bother to steal it? Let me restate that. You would not take the time to steal it. You'd move on. I truly believe that if you want something enough to steal it, you should pay for it. I mean, the argument for the crash of the record store was that CDs were too expensive, now you can download almost any album in the world for less than $10. So the problem is elsewhere. The problem is the product has been devalued by all the freebies, by all the theft and I'm not sure you can rescue that. These companies need to think of a new revenue source, because they've already polluted and wrecked the market. Facebook, youtube and spotify have polluted the market. Every joker with a laptop who fancies himself a DJ has polluted the market. There is too much garbage, yes.
But that's neither here nor there. The fact of the matter is, we are slowly letting our Internet freedom be eroded away. I've said it before and I'll say it again, we will look back at this time and think "wow, can you believe we were allowed to say and do that stuff online." -- It'll surely be within our lifetimes that for the good of ourselves we will no longer have a free and open Internet. You can thank yourself for not caring, until they cut yours off because you shared a pic on pinterest or one of those little pictures with the clever quips on on facebook. How will you like being re-educated? Keep in mind, that when there's a complaint against you, true or not, there is no trial and certainly no fair use.
Posted at 11:13pm on February 25, 2013 by Jared Morris
