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The Recording Industry's Failed Digital Strategy

Posted by kdawson on from the north-winds-of-change dept.

An anonymous reader sends us a link to the Toronto Star, where Michael Geist has a terrific article on how the record labels got the Internet completely wrong. While somewhat specific to Canada, the article' arguments are more broadly applicable. The article links together the misplaced reliance on DRM and the Canadian industry's advocacy for increasing levies on blank media to demonstrate just how wrong-headed this strategy has turned out to be.

2 of 227 comments (clear)

  1. comment: I think it's all bunk by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    subject: frist post

  2. Re:Sure, Increase the Levy by Mister_IQ · · Score: -1, Troll

    I mentioned this a bit further down, but took too long, GP made my point for me.

    Since when is taxation that specific? "Sorry, I didn't use the hospital this year, I'm not paying that part of my taxes." "I don't own a car, don't use any of my taxes for roads, please." "Hey!!! I don't like hockey, don't build that arena with my money!" "I don't have kids, I'm not paying school taxes!"

    Blank media sales seem as good a transaction as any to attach the levy to, and those levies purchase the right to copy music for everyone.

    Don't you see? It's not paying for illegal activity, it's making the activity legal for everyone. You can get off your self-righteous "I'm not a pirate" horse because the world "pirate" doesn't mean anything in a place where we buy the right to copy any music we want.