Thread: Downloading, The RIAA, and the future of copyrights

Part of my education has been dealing with technology, and the consumption of music, and since we are all part of a community that has something to say about this I thought I would put this question out to get answers from you all, or some of you anyway.

1. As downloaders where do you see the future of copyright heading? Where do you think it should go?
2. The average person buys 6 albums worth of music a year, it's been put out there that downloaders buy more, how much music do you purchase each year? What format do you purchase it on, CD, Digital, or Vinyl?
3. Why do you think the RIAA has been pushing so hard for harsh new copyright laws like ACTA and COICA?

My answers are as follows.

1. Since the RIAA and the industry has such financial power they have been lobbying whoever they can to get new laws past that favor them over the creators and the consumers, I see a continuation of this approach, and I see it alienating both the artists and the consumer. I feel that it should be an open licensing system like the one that creative commons promotes. Since most people download files that are heavily compressed, like mp3's these forms shouldn't be sold, they should be free, but no one but the creator should be able to make money off it.
2. I purchase much more music than 6 per year, I probably buy 6 per month, exclusively on vinyl.
3. I think the RIAA is pushing for new laws because using a digital medium they are actually seeing competition in and industry they have held a virtual monopoly over for decades. This competition is coming from independent artists and labels, and since their claims that they are losing money are simply lies ( the recording industry has posted record profits for the last 5 years in a row), they are losing market share to independents, these new laws allow them to shut down websites that help people share infringing content even if there are a large number of files being shared that are not infringing at all. Thats dumb.

The thing is 'pirating' of music is nothing new. I pirated a lot more when I was a kid, but back then it was done by recording 1 tape to another. The music industry at the time said cassettes would destroy the industry, but somehow they managed to survive.

The technology has changed but the Music industry is singing the same old tune it always has.

I buy nothing period. I didn't buy anything before either, so no one is really losing money on me. The few movies that I have downloaded that I really like, I will purchase. My conclusion is that the movie industry has gotten so used to raping the people for money for cruddy movies, that they just don't want to give it up (who wants to spend $20 on a movie that sucks, that you wont ever watch again). That's my same feeling on music companies, and the oil companies/gas prices too. I listen to far too little music (maybe once a week for an hour) that I could just as easily use pandora, except that I want to select who i want to listen to. I expect the industry will try to crush us all into oblivion (artists and consumers) until a new company comes from the wreckage with a whole new model of retail. Perhaps it will be a rental program- you pay for a membership and listen to what you want, when, or perhaps it will be an apple invention for ipod. Kind of like itunes, so you can sync between computer and ipod. The idea won't really get rid of piracy, however it will allow more people the chance to stay legal, and should cut down on piracy.

1.Copyright law is getting harder everyday. We see new laws beeing approved all the time, people getting sued, etc. If the people dont start demanding the laws they want the politicians to approve soon, the lobbyists will do so, as they are already. In my opinion there simply is no basis for copyright. If people like it they should support it. But to go in that direction (of the ancient patronage systems) would demand a parting of ways with capitalism. I mean if you really defend capitalism the way it is now, you have nothing to complain about copyright.
2. I stopped buying anything a few years back, but now that i got myself a good turntable im buying a lot of vinyl (second-hand mostly) and for some special cases a special edition bluray of films i really liked. Im finding some very good deals so id say about 10 records a month and a BD every second month.
3.Short answer: They are greedy spineless bastards. They utterly dont care about the arts, and they are just the money making middlemen who we have allowed to get there by listening and watching the shit custom made for the masses they try to feed us (Britney spears, Gaga, Rich gangsta rap etc.). Now that they have tasted of this income source their eyes are filled with dollar signs and they wont let go.

P2P is great for we dont have to go through the middlemen anymore and can just get in contact directly with the arts. We once again have the option and the power to define what is good by ourselves and share that view with likeminded individuals. I hope this gets clear to every pirate and that they start thinking by themselves. If we are thinking, we are winning.

Hello these are very interesting questions

1.I think that as long as the politicians are supported so heavily by the music industry it will be very bad for downloads. I think that they should leave it up to the artists themselves and let them face the music (no pun intend) with there fans like Metallica did.

2. I have never as an adult been to much interested in whole albums before online or not free or not, just haven't been. When napster came along I became obsessed with downloading music.when it went away I for a time paid for it.

3. I think it's all about fear and control more about there artists then us and our money. The music writers have a means through the Internet of reaching an audience without the companies and the companies know it.

1) they can pass all the laws they want, it is enforcement that they lack.

2) I buy nothing, there is little worth buying. The funny part is i used to buy 30 albums a year, but the quality is just so poor now.

3) They are losing the real battle, they have to make it appear they are winning. We have to be very careful to make sure they do not use the copyright laws to invade our homes.

Yes that seems to be what they are doing, laws like COICA give them abilities to limit free speech, without even going through court they can force down any website, with only a claim that there is infringing content on it. I just have this feeling they are pushing these laws because for the first time the industries are facing real competition from independent artists, and communities such as this one. The internet largely has democratized the consumption of media. Because of the ease of tracking downloads and that independence they are no longer able to influence sales as they used to. Gold and Platinum records were given out based on the number of units shipped, not sold. There could be huge numbers of the albums sitting in record stores that haven't been shipped back. Artists signed to labels now even if they agree to have no physical product have to agree to a 2% breakage fee. Since fewer people are listening to the radio schemes like Pay for play to get heavier rotation are no longer applicable. The recording industry wants to hold on to old-media as it gave them ways to influence the system.

New media offers independent artists the exact same means as the record companies to distribute to wide audiences. To many of them it's more important to be heard than to sell records. Personally I try to support artists in a more direct way, by purchasing from them directly, or seeing shows, or buying merch. Ways that even if they are signed allows them to get a bigger cut and the industry less. I see many shows now, and because I'm a writer I get in to a lot of shows, but most shows I go to I walk out with something. I don't think anyone should make money off the artists but the artists, and this includes the record companies. They sit back, make all the money, while the artist does the hard work.