File sharing. What are your thoughts?

[coloradodem2005]

While I believe that recording artists have certain rights how do you feel about file-sharing and the Recording Artists Coalition?

[Deja Q]

1. Everyone has rights.

And when one side feels they are being abused, they will respond. Then the other side will respond and so forth.

There should be a sense of fair play (established "fair use" rights, initially torn down thanks to DMCA but are continuing to be eroded into obscurity) but as the corporate elite get more power and their followes so spoon-fed they say "lock up the downloader for life" while ignoring the unethical behavior of the record labels...

Sorry. my ultimate verdict is out. Both sides do wrong but the supply side is is clearly not interested in fair play. It wants total control and the decimation of fair use/consumer rights. As far as my opinion currently stands, they are fascists.

[Parche]

2. file sharing

Do you have to wear a propholactic to file share?

[Wickerman]

3. PtP of copyrighted music remains wrong

Doesn't matter how you slice it. Its theft.

However, the music industry as is is entirely fucked. They are so far off base on their assumptions of who downloads what and why that the record companies are getting what they deserve. Its a shame that the people who are the creative forces once again are the ones getting ripped off.

On the way home tonight I was listening to an artist (on a legit CD) that I was exposed to via the old Napster. I have attended several of his shows, bought many CDs and turned many friends on to his music. None of this would've happened had I not initially "stole" 2 or perhaps three songs.

My wrongs and and subsequent purchases and reccs don't make it right to have stole the music in the first place, but that story surely isn't unique. Somewhere, someplace, the implications of what occurred are being missed en mass by the marketing "whizzes" of the big old mired in brick and mortar record companies.