29 July 2009

RIAA's War on Sharing Begins

Words matter, which is why the RIAA has always framed copyright infringement in terms of "piracy". But it has a big problem: most people call it "sharing"; and as everyone was told by their mother, it's good to share. So the RIAA needs to redefine things, and it seems that it's started doing just that in the Joel Tanenbaum trial:


"We are here to ask you to hold the defendant responsible for his actions," said Reynolds, a partner in the Boulder, Colorado office of Holme, Robert & Owen. "Filesharing isn't like sharing that we teach our children. This isn't sharing with your friends."

Got that? P2P sharing isn't *real* sharing, because it's not sharing with your friends; this is *evil* sharing because it's bad to share with stranger. Apparently.

Watch out for more of this meme in the future.

Follow me @glynmoody on Twitter @glynmoody and identi.ca.

6 comments:

Roger Lancefield said...

These bastards are just making up the rules as they go along, and our political representatives are allowing them to do it while looking on, doing nothing.

Next up, allowing friends to watch your DVDs in your home will become a prosecutable offence (if it isn't already?).

Sorry for the expletive, these anti-social extortionists really make my blood boil.

Glyn Moody said...

@Roger: I shall have to moderate my posting on this subject if it provokes medical problems for you...

Roger Lancefield said...

No I'm fine. But do you have anything for this green complexion and 35" upper arms?

Glyn Moody said...

I think everyone involved in fighting copyright insanity looks like that....

cabalamat said...

"Sharing is caring" -- Pirate party slogan.

Roger, to stop your blood boiling, may I suggest you join us in our fight?

Glyn Moody said...

That's interesting - and a shrewd move, I think. It's definitely a weak point for the media corporations.