The huge FBI raid on massive bootlegging entirely legitimate file upload site MegaUpload in January sure struck a blow for ethics, morality and of course the artists, who are the RIAA’s eternal and only concern. Except that the raid was actually timed to take out colourful racing identity Kim Dotcom’s plans to go into competition selling recordings, which is why the RIAA was gunning for it already.
Not only is the raid itself turning out more and more legally dubious, but Dotcom’s plans are back in full swing: MegaBox, a site where artists can put their stuff at a 10% commission on sales. A bit like BandCamp, but with backing and fame, which may well make all the difference.
The recording industry is not just fucked because of home taping downloading — it’s fucked because it isn’t the gatekeeper for the means of production any more, and never will be again. Does anyone actually remember just how insanely fucking hard it was even to record thirty years ago, let alone release the recording?
While MegaUpload was clearly being used for a great deal of piracy, I don’t see how it can be outlawed without also outlawing a huge range of perfectly legitimate things, from old-fashioned dialup BBSs to web hosting providers to cloud-based file backup services. Anything that allows files to be uploaded and downloaded is technically equivalent, so how is the law supposed to distinguish them?
By declaring that black is white and bits have colours. The law has no problems with starting assumptions that defy physics, logic and mathematics; it’s only its targets who do. Or YOU JUST LOVE BANK ROBBERS!!!