For Every Entertainment Industry Job 'Lost' To Infringement, Could 12 Jobs Be Created Elsewhere?
from the fun-with-stats dept
For years we've debunked various entertainment industry studies claiming ridiculous job and economic "losses" from copyright infringement. These studies tend to have all sorts of problems; ignoring the ability to adapt and to introduce new business models, using "ripple effects" in just one direction to double, triple and quadruple count the same "losses" over and over again, and counting every download as a "lost sale." The ripple effects one is especially pernicious because the industry likes to pretend that the impacts of infringement only go in one direction. They ignore that the money not spent on such content doesn't disappear from the economy but can be used elsewhere -- perhaps in areas that provide greater economic growth.A few years ago, the folks at CCIA smartly took the copyright industry's exact methodology and showed that for all the claims of how much copyright contributed to the economy, exceptions to copyright contributed even more. While the copyright maximalists totally missed the point and attacked the methodology -- not realizing that, in doing so, they had undermined their own methodology -- the point was made. If you believe the claims from the copyright industry, then you also have to believe that the exceptions are more important. The methodology is the same, so either neither are right or both are right.
It looks like Rick Falkvinge, of The Pirate Party, has now done something similar on the "job loss" side of things, and concluded that, using similar methodology to the industry reports, for every job "lost" by copyright infringement, the positive ripple effects in the other direction mean that 11.8 new jobs are created. So if we accept the claim that 1.2 million jobs can be lost due to infringement, it would mean that a separate 14.2 million jobs were created elsewhere.
The report broke down the "creative industry," by noting that (contrary to copyright maximalist claims), most of that industry doesn't actually rely on copyright to make money. In fact, certain "creative" industries could be seen as "copyright-inhibited." For example, advertising. As we constantly hear from copyright maximalists, various sites are making big bucks by using advertising in association with file sharing. So based on the industry's own argument, it seems that the advertising market is clearly copyright-inhibited, and it would grow if there was greater infringement. After going through the numbers, it was determined that the majority of GDP, by quite a bit, are likely in the "copyright-inhibited" arena.
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Meh.
Everybody knows that (Study Results) == (Whatever the person paying would like them to be).
Rational argument is obviously a waste of time with the MAFIAA. Anything which disagrees with their world view will be demonized and debunked. If gravity was proven to only work in favor of "infringers" then we'd see commercials tomorrow about how there's no such thing as gravity.
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Re: Meh.
Masnick hates studies that show his precious piracy is hurtful, so he tries to claim they've all been debunked (they haven't) or since they were commissioned by the industry, their data is all wrong (it isn't).
In this instance, he puts up a ludicrous pro-piracy study and tries to equate it with real studies, thus hoping to harm them by association.
What's hilarious is that he's deluded himself into thinking his con actually works.
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Re: Re: Meh.
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Re: Re: Meh.
I'm not sure why you always lie. It's really quite troubling.
I have looked quite closely at the industry studies, and I'm willing to take credible studies seriously. To date, however, the industry ones are not at all credible, and yes, they have been repeatedly debunked by those who are much more credible.
In this instance, he puts up a ludicrous pro-piracy study and tries to equate it with real studies, thus hoping to harm them by association.
I did no such thing. Perhaps, next time, you should try reading what I actually said. Of course, you've been misrepresenting my comments for years on this site, so I doubt you will change any time soon. What's really sad is that if you actually bothered to pay attention to anything I had to say, maybe the band you work with who you keep complaining is failing because of YOUR own advice to them wouldn't be in so much trouble.
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Re: Re: Re: Meh.
I think it's important attendees be well informed about what the core beliefs are of the speakers.
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Meh.
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Meh.
If your comments here are any indication then I would wonder how you would first convince anyone to stop telling you to go away.
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Meh.
Um. Ok. Why should I care what you say about me?
And be aware that if you lie about my positions publicly, that is a form of defamation. You may want to be careful what you say.
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Meh.
Your words speak for themselves.
Although the thought of you in court trying to tell a judge you aren't a hater of copyright and a piracy apologist is tantalizing...
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Meh.
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Competition is good, even for your own copyrighted works
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Re: Competition is good, even for your own copyrighted works
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Re: Re: Competition is good, even for your own copyrighted works
Watching a video on youtube is a "user" activity, but what's commenting? Liking/disliking? Sending the link to friends? Sharing on facebook? Blogging about the video?
Certain activities can be considered "creation" or "usage" but many activities blur those boundaries. We are almost all both creators and users, and in many derivative works, dong both "full bore". A big part of why the legacy companies are failing is their failure to understand this. They are stuck in a broadcast/distribution mindset, where they produce and everyone else consumes. The reality is so much more. Their failure to adapt and innovate drives the market to route around them.
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Re: Re: Re: Competition is good, even for your own copyrighted works
Everybody's doing it. All consumers, all creators.
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Re: Re: Competition is good, even for your own copyrighted works
If you're asking that question, you don't understand how culture works.
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Re: Re: Re: Competition is good, even for your own copyrighted works
I don't think anyone actually believes these numbers are accurate.
Yet you wrote an article championing it.
You do realize that at this point people are just laughing at you, right Masnick?
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Competition is good, even for your own copyrighted works
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Competition is good, even for your own copyrighted works
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Competition is good, even for your own copyrighted works
Wow TAM can't even read... that answers a few questions
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Competition is good, even for your own copyrighted works
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Competition is good, even for your own copyrighted works
The same way copytards laugh at those numbers freetards are laughing at the industry numbers.
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Funny little story though.
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Ummm...actually I don't "know" that at all.
And furthermore, I suspect that you are actually wrong on that if you consider ALL of the economy, not just one single industry.
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Re: Re:
A scumbag for being part of these job losses:
http://blog.artistforce.com/2009/01/26/layoffs-now-at-the-world%E2%80%99s-largest-label/
http://paidcontent.org/article/419-warner-music-layoffs-tied-to-digital-restructuring-creates-new -programm/
http://www.dmwmedia.com/news/2008/01/15/emi-restructuring-plan-includes-2,000-layoffs
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/technology/article745701.ece
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Re: Re: Re:
Oh really? I like how your opinion is now factual.
As for your links, have you looked at how much money Edgar Bronfman made the last few years? Perhaps they wouldn't have to lay off so many people if he didn't bleed the company dry for personal gain, while failing to embrace new business models.
You seem to keep missing this point. Yes, the labels are struggling, but it's because (like you) their management refuses to adapt.
Refusing to adapt is your problem. I have offered to help, and your response has been to lie about me and insult me. Incredible. You deserve to fail.
The only ones "responsible" for job losses are the management at the labels who are too clueless to adapt. And, yes, folks like yourself who GLEEFULLY admit that you're too clueless to adapt and you'd prefer to fail, as long as you can blame it on folks who actually understand the market.
You're an incredible piece of work. No wonder you're such a failure in life.
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"The labels shouldn't ask the law to be enforced, they should just shut up and try something else." It's like telling a rape victim to shut up, adapt and enjoy it.
You are undeniably the biggest douchebag I have ever encountered on the web.
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Yes, for helping content creators make more money. That's so douchey.
Do you spit in the face of everyone who tries to help you?
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Please, point out those "non-biased" researchers, and before you put a link in there, follow the money--see where their research funding came from.
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Re: Re:
You're all willfully blind, and enjoy demonstrating it here every day. Do you actually think no one notices?
Debunk this:
http://www.ipcouncil.ca/uploads/The%20True%20Price%20of%20Peer%20to%20Peer%20File%20Sharing .pdf
And helpful hint for the slow kids: Saying something is an industry study isn't "debunking". Post facts to the contrary.
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...That was too easy. I smell a trap.
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Because, these studies are being used to push for laws that seriously conflict with our core democratic beliefs. You know things like privacy, due process and innocent until proven guilty. It's extremely important that studies used in this manner are completely unbiased and not funded by those with vested interests.
As, for your link, it's study from the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, a vested interest wouldn't you say?
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well fuck you pal.
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not in the constitution: guaranteed wages for artists
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"No one cares about that!"
Lawyers do.
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Not only that, but it was ONLY commissioned in response to a very credible academic, peer-reviewed study funded by the Canadian gov't that showed that P2P did not have a negative impact on music sales.
The industry study is neither credible, nor peer-reviewed.
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I know. I was assuming that's sarcastic, but I'm not totally convinced. Assuming it's sarcasm/satire, great job.
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They cut jobs because they are greedy, because technology makes many positions obsolete, and because it costs way less to make and distribute music these days. Piracy is just a way for them to point the finger and focus away from the fact its no where near as bad as they say it is. Whoa is me is working for them.
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But yeah, keep blaming it on piracy...
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Damn those cars, costing so many jobs...
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Music hasn't gone away or been replaced. It's still for sale.
All that needs to be said about you guys' position is shown by the fact you can't even come up with a valid analogy.
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Re: Re: Re: Re:
You are mixing up Stagecoach Drivers (people working in the plastic disc sales business) and the Transportation Industry (Everything else in the music and creative industry).
The former goes away due to changes in the latter.
In other words..
People no longer using stage coaches =/= people are no longer mobile.
Just like..
People are buying less plastic discs =/= people are no longer buying/selling and consuming music.
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Nothing you say or do will make your analogy valid or less retarded. But keep trying. LOL
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I also share your frustration with a lot what I see as unquestioning swallowing/repeating of the party line from many Techdirt commenters.
However, based on your comments on this thread, you come off as just as bad as the worst of kool-aid-drinking Techdirt comments, but with the opposite viewpoint.
So, while you smugly guffaw at how *stooopid* all those Techdirt people are, just know that people who may be inclined to agree with you about some things think the same of you.
(In the interest of goodwill, I'll note that my opinion is based on a limited sample size of your comments)
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I'll refrain from using it here again.
The rest... not so much.
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If you don't like what I read, ignore it.
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(you should really consider listening to yellow snowflake)
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That's mostly how I spend my time on Techdirt.
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
You do realize, at the time that the automobile was introduced, the existing transportation industry *did* cause the automobile to become effectively illegal in certain areas.
When the only reason something is "illegal" is because someone doesn't want to adapt to the market, that's a problem.
And, yes, that's why the situation is very much the same. Just because an industry got something declared illegal, it does not change that they are abusing the law to protect a business model rather than adapt.
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ahahahahahahahahahaha
As in people's physical safety concerns? Really? You're going to try that? wow. just wow.
When the only reason something is "illegal" is because someone doesn't want to adapt to the market, that's a problem.
The business model has nothing to do with anything. The reason it's illegal, is because copyright law has existed in this country since it's inception.
The fact that some music mp3s could be traded with impunity wasn't going to change those laws.
When are you going to wake up and understand that?
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
Dear Mr. Anonymous,
please look up the "Red Flag Act". Parent poster is correct -- stagecoach and railroad industries lobbied to neuter the threat of the automobile to their industries, and succeeded in doing so.
Cheers,
Rick
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
See? That's the best you guys can do. You've got nothing.
And you prove it every time you use invalid analogies.
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
Ha! They were "safety regulations" in the same way that copyright laws are "about property rights." Neither is true. Both were laws to protect a legacy industry and a legacy business model. That you can't even realize that they're the same thing, once again, highlights your inability to comprehend what we adults are talking about.
See? That's the best you guys can do. You've got nothing.
We have the facts on our side. To date, you have been living off of lies and insults. Try to present SOME evidence that supports your position.
Any evidence. Really. We'll wait.
And you prove it every time you use invalid analogies.
Your inability to comprehend basic facts does not make the analogy invalid. It just demonstrates your cognitive abilities to the world.
Do go on, and show us more.
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
Whatever laws that were there were not to protect "legacy business models". LOL Did you even read up on this?
Copyright is never going to go away. Why do you delude yourself into thinking it has a chance to?
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
Extremely familiar with the history of red flag laws, and yes, they absolutely were to protect legacy business models. Your ignorance of history is noted. We'll add it to the list of things you are ignorant about: business, economics, law and history.
What do you know about?
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Re: Re: Re: Re:
I think that's actually his point (i.e., to counter the "no record store" jobs, he points to new forms of music sales).
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Your latest thing is to just include the words 'due process' in your post and expect them to magically cure your indefensible position. Sharp work.
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And: HAHAHAHAHA! Give you real counterpoints? You reject every single real argument, and every single shred of evidence, in some of the most impressively childish ways I have ever seen.
As demonstrated in this very thread, even the people who are on your side of this debate think you are foolish and disingenuous. Why would I waste intelligent conversation on a grand joke like yourself?
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What I've always hated
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Re: What I've always hated
what are you some kind of communist?
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Re: Re: What I've always hated
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Re: Re: Re: What I've always hated
I may think hes a bad actor, but I respect him more than just about any other.
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It is not the number of jobs that counts
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Re:
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That some group (the IFPI) uses a false dichotomy does not make the dichotomy gospel or valid.
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It's a false dichotomy no matter who uses the argument.
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That's the point: both studies are ridiculous.
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Absolutely right.
This article was ridiculous and as even Mike points out, the methodology is utterly flawed and the results ludicrous.
It may be that the methodology used by publishers is also flawed but it doesn't actually matter if it is or not.
We know for a fact that piracy costs jobs and money and hampers creativity without doing any research at all.
We only use studies to try to give the general public an "understanding" of how much harm piracy does and also so that, politicians have something to say when presenting the legislation that the publishers write.
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Of course, I take such descriptions with a grain of salt.
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And there is always a bias of some sort. I have yet to see a single piece of research that is not biased, even subconsciously. And I read a ton of journals for fun.
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Considering research has suggested the exact opposite, just how do we "know for a fact" that claim?
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and also so that, politicians have something to say when presenting the legislation that the publishers write.
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The hilarious thing is that the satire tends to make more sense than the subjects of the satire.
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Exactly the point. The original studies lump any industry that touches copyright in as saying that it's entirely *due to copyright*. My favorite was one such study (I forget which but I'm sure it can be dug up) that counted furniture and jewelry as part of "the copyright industries."
The whole point of this post was certainly not to claim that Falkvinge's analysis is right. I don't think it is. But to question how anyone can believe the other side's claims when using the same methodology (in fact, Falkvinge appears to go deeper than their methodology) to make their own claims.
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Rebuttal
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Re: Rebuttal
Am I missing something or is your rebuttal just the headline of a post where you say "he's wrong!"
Separately, did you not read my post in your rush to promote your response? Everyone knows that his numbers are made up. *That* is the point. But his numbers are based on the same methodology as the claims that piracy "costs" jobs. Your claim that "everyone knows" this is true is false. Many people do not know that because the evidence suggests it is not true.
But, you know, why bother with facts?
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