Do We Want ISPs Penalizing Music Fans?

NewYorkCountryLawyer writes "Noted singer songwriter Billy Bragg has written an excellent column in The Guardian, coming out against the pro-RIAA '3-strikes' legislation the big 4 record labels are trying to push through. In the article, entitled 'Do we want ISPs penalizing our fans?', Bragg writes: 'Having failed miserably in previous attempts to stamp out illicit filesharing, the record industry has now joined forces with other entertainment lobby groups to demand that the government takes action to protect their business model.' He goes on: 'Fearful of the prospect of dragging their customers though the courts, with all the attendant costs and bad publicity, members of the record industry have come up with a simple, cost-free solution to their problem: get the ISPs to do their dirty work for them. They are asking the government to force the ISPs to cut off the broadband connection of customers who persistently download unauthorized material, without any recourse to appeal in the courts.'"

Comments

Re:Who does this really penalize?

[JimboFBX]

Here's a secret

Pay compensation for enjoying something and that artist will continue to produce more work. Otherwise the music companies will punish you by constantly selling crappy music/movies.

Doing the opposite of that is why my music collection now consists of few songs newer than 4 years old.

Here's another thing, if you have money, spend the damn stuff. Don't be a cheapskate who can't fork out 99 cents for a song they like when you get less long-term enjoyment out of that McDonald's ice cream cone you impulsively bought yesterday.