"Prediction: they will never, ever do this. It's not about the money. It's about control."
It can't be about control because the product is already loose in the wild of the internets.
The insanity of it is that there are customers who are telling HBO "We want to BUY your product" and it seems that HBO's stance is "Sure thing, get it through your cable co." Unfortunately that means that if they complain about piracy, it's their own damn fault for not taking the money being offered and then complaining when customers who actually use the internet go elsewhere.
I think they just don't want to acknowledge that cord cutting is happening, and a lot faster than they expected.
"That said, I'm not convinced it would have made a huge difference, but the overall attention level might have been different."
It seems that everyone has forgotten the Valerie Plame incident with the Washington Times. Outing a covert CIA operative seems to be a much bigger deal and Scooter Libby got off with a slap on the wrist instead of life in prison.
"When people have the easy and inexpensive means to communicate directly, especially in informal settings and about the everyday aspects of life, they usually discover that they have much more in common than they perhaps expected."
Governments do not like this. When people communicate and share ideas, it weakens the control of mass media and government. The public begins to question policies that we are told are for our benefit but contrast with reality. Politicians can corporations can no longer just state things without evidence to back up their statements, because netizens will simply seek out the facts and share them At best this makes the corporations/governments look incompetent and at worst appears to be flat out lying to the public.
Therefore the internet must be controlled. Unfortunately, the powers that be seem to think of the internet as a phone or television and the controls that work on those mediums just don't seem to have much effect on the interwebs.
It's actually wonderful that the public is able to get a proper view of how governments around the world actually work. We get to see that parts of our governments get to work in almost complete secrecy not only from the public but from within their own legislature. Whether this benefits the public or not, it certainly gives the impression that trade negotiations are meant to hide things from the public until they are actually put in action and it's too late to complain.
The best part of it is that not only are the content industries fighting a losing battle, they are helping to advance the way the public views transparency in government. So let them keep fighting the advance of humanity, as they are only creating a massive Streisand Effect that is serving to wake the sleeping giant on the net.
Now I can't stop associating Labatt Blue with psychopaths and murderers.
Funny thing is that I don't associate beer in general with murders, just Labatt Blue. OMG it's amazing how a single picture can control my thoughts so completely.
Sherman and Dodd can keep whining and trying. If they know DC like they appear to know it, then they are aware of how Congress tends to shy away from passing legislation that the public has spoken out against.
In the pre-digital era, Congress was fortunate that very little of what they did reached mainstream media, so it was rare that there was ever any real opposition to their corporate friendly legislation. Couple that with the fact that even if the public didn't like legislation, it was unlikely that they would call their representative en masse.
That was then. Twitter and Facebook can generate a buzz in a matter of hours. Take the time to nurture and focus that type of buzz through the appropriate sites (Google, Wikipedia, eBay, etc), and you have a political flash mob of epic proportions.
While I have to say that I am a huge fan of my Macbook Pro and my iPod Touch, I have absolutely no desire to get an iPhone.
It would appear that Apple is doing everything in it's power to built the Android market. I don't think they see that the smartphone market is evolving past the iPhone.
"Whatever else one can say about downloading a song without authorisation, the number of deaths that it is likely to cause is, we believe, comparatively low."
Comparatively low????
I want to see the stats on deaths related to unauthorized downloads.
"Are there arguments against actions aimed to reduce the impact of these overseas rogue websites?"
Of course there are no arguments against legislative/enforcement actions aimed at criminal endeavors, but that isn't the issue. These "rogue websites" only have an impact because the do what the content providers are unwilling to do. They offer cross platform media solutions at a reasonable price. Maybe they should change the question to:
Are there any arguments against our industries innovating new services and busniess models aimed at reducing the impact of these overseas rogue websites?
Beating a dead horse is really tiring. Maybe it will occur to the content industry, that their favorite business models are dying or dead.
I must say that I am really surprised that in the UK, at least one broadcaster, 4OD, has finally figured out that they have decades of programming that they now offer free on their website (with ads). Imagine that, monetizing content that has been doing nothing for years, instead of whining about piracy.
"One thing I can't understand about e-books vs paper books. In the UK, e-books are subject to VAT but paper books are not and I cannot figure out why."
The answer is.... When you place "digital" "internet" or "e" on a product, it suddenly escapes comprehension of lawmakers around the world who were born long before the digital age and have little hope of understanding.
In a rational world VAT would apply to your ebook but your ebook would cost 99p or less.
"Greek ISPs should take technical measures to make it impossible for their subscribers to access Web sites through which illegal posting and exchange of works can take place."
Ummm... so a Greek court is ordering the cutting off of all internet access????
Would have been nice for the RIAA to win a settlement of just 1 trillion dollars. Then they could leave the US and start running their own nation with that much capital. Or they could just buy a few Googles and Facebooks and Twitters.
The cable companies and the telcos could provide faster service, but that goes against their corporate greed. The could not maintain the bandwidth shortage myth if they suddenly offered faster service.
Verizon and ATT both have fiber offerings (FiOS and Lightspeed), but they are pricey compared to their DSL offerings and they don't want to cannibalize their own products, like when they didn't want to offer VoIP service.
It's basically that our broadband companies do not want to be good companies, they want to be wealthy companies. Yet another example of wanting to hold onto the old business models for as long as possible to the detriment of their customers.
Ok now I'm officially confused. There are 12 members of the COG... and just why can't Senator Wyden (or any other senator) get what he wants from them?
Are the TPP negotiations classified as Top Secret???
On the post: Correction: Earn My Money, HBO
You lost me
It can't be about control because the product is already loose in the wild of the internets.
The insanity of it is that there are customers who are telling HBO "We want to BUY your product" and it seems that HBO's stance is "Sure thing, get it through your cable co." Unfortunately that means that if they complain about piracy, it's their own damn fault for not taking the money being offered and then complaining when customers who actually use the internet go elsewhere.
I think they just don't want to acknowledge that cord cutting is happening, and a lot faster than they expected.
On the post: Would Bradley Manning Face The Same Charges If He Leaked Same Info To NYTimes Instead Of Wikileaks?
How soon we forget
It seems that everyone has forgotten the Valerie Plame incident with the Washington Times. Outing a covert CIA operative seems to be a much bigger deal and Scooter Libby got off with a slap on the wrist instead of life in prison.
On the post: Help To Save The World: Go Online
CENSORED
Governments do not like this. When people communicate and share ideas, it weakens the control of mass media and government. The public begins to question policies that we are told are for our benefit but contrast with reality. Politicians can corporations can no longer just state things without evidence to back up their statements, because netizens will simply seek out the facts and share them At best this makes the corporations/governments look incompetent and at worst appears to be flat out lying to the public.
Therefore the internet must be controlled. Unfortunately, the powers that be seem to think of the internet as a phone or television and the controls that work on those mediums just don't seem to have much effect on the interwebs.
On the post: Significant Concerns About TPP Raised Down Under
Thank you internets
The best part of it is that not only are the content industries fighting a losing battle, they are helping to advance the way the public views transparency in government. So let them keep fighting the advance of humanity, as they are only creating a massive Streisand Effect that is serving to wake the sleeping giant on the net.
On the post: Labatt Threatens To Sue Newspaper For Showing Photo of Suspected Killer Holding Its Beer
LMFAO
Funny thing is that I don't associate beer in general with murders, just Labatt Blue. OMG it's amazing how a single picture can control my thoughts so completely.
On the post: RIAA To Congress: We're Finally Innovating... Now Go Shut Down Pirate Sites
A matter of time
In the pre-digital era, Congress was fortunate that very little of what they did reached mainstream media, so it was rare that there was ever any real opposition to their corporate friendly legislation. Couple that with the fact that even if the public didn't like legislation, it was unlikely that they would call their representative en masse.
That was then. Twitter and Facebook can generate a buzz in a matter of hours. Take the time to nurture and focus that type of buzz through the appropriate sites (Google, Wikipedia, eBay, etc), and you have a political flash mob of epic proportions.
On the post: Darth Vader Is The Most Successful Star Wars Character Ever, But Still No Return Of The Jedi Residuals For Actor
A good question
If the best movies are not making a profit (long before digital piracy), then I don't understand how piracy is hurting the industry.
Ok trolls, please explain.
On the post: Insanity: Apple Rejects Podcatching App Because It Has Flattr Integration
Hmmm
It would appear that Apple is doing everything in it's power to built the Android market. I don't think they see that the smartphone market is evolving past the iPhone.
Samsung Note, anyone?
On the post: EU Politicians Snub European Commission: Do Not See IP Protection As Key To Internal Security Strategy
I want to see the statistics
Comparatively low????
I want to see the stats on deaths related to unauthorized downloads.
On the post: TV Network Exec Argues That Anything That Causes Cable Subscribers To Cut The Cord Is Illegal
Well well well
We need laws to protect those jobs.
On the post: French Film Exec Insists That Anti-Piracy Efforts Made Sure No French Films Were Downloaded For 7 Months
Seriously????
IF no French films were downloaded during the time-frame he stated, then that means there was very little interest in the world in French films.
On the post: News Corp. Wonders If There Could Possibly Be Any Arguments Against Anti-Piracy Efforts
Question
"Are there arguments against actions aimed to reduce the impact of these overseas rogue websites?"
Of course there are no arguments against legislative/enforcement actions aimed at criminal endeavors, but that isn't the issue. These "rogue websites" only have an impact because the do what the content providers are unwilling to do. They offer cross platform media solutions at a reasonable price. Maybe they should change the question to:
Are there any arguments against our industries innovating new services and busniess models aimed at reducing the impact of these overseas rogue websites?
On the post: French Court Says Google Not Liable For Infringing Works Uploaded To YouTube
They just won't die off fast enough
I must say that I am really surprised that in the UK, at least one broadcaster, 4OD, has finally figured out that they have decades of programming that they now offer free on their website (with ads). Imagine that, monetizing content that has been doing nothing for years, instead of whining about piracy.
On the post: DMCA Notices So Stupid It Hurts
LOL
There is a class action lawyer just salivating
On the post: Author Tells DOJ The Authors Guild Doesn't Speak For Him & Amazon Is The Only Company Encouraging Competition
Re: easy answer
The answer is.... When you place "digital" "internet" or "e" on a product, it suddenly escapes comprehension of lawmakers around the world who were born long before the digital age and have little hope of understanding.
In a rational world VAT would apply to your ebook but your ebook would cost 99p or less.
On the post: TV Networks File Legal Claims Saying Skipping Commercials Is Copyright Infringement
A new first
I can't stop laughing. So I'm a dirty pirate thief if I don't watch the content now. Nice one.
On the post: Greece Stares Into the Abyss; Meanwhile, Local Music And Audiovisual Collecting Society Gets Court Order To Block Web Sites
???
Ummm... so a Greek court is ordering the cutting off of all internet access????
On the post: No, The RIAA Is Not Asking For $72 Trillion From Limewire (Bad Reporters, Bad)
Just one
On the post: Broadband In Crisis: Does The US Need Regulation To Force Meaningful Competition?
Econ 101
Verizon and ATT both have fiber offerings (FiOS and Lightspeed), but they are pricey compared to their DSL offerings and they don't want to cannibalize their own products, like when they didn't want to offer VoIP service.
It's basically that our broadband companies do not want to be good companies, they want to be wealthy companies. Yet another example of wanting to hold onto the old business models for as long as possible to the detriment of their customers.
On the post: Apparently The USTR Thinks 'Unprecedented Transparency' Means Hiding TPP Details From 98% Of Congress
The missing link
Are the TPP negotiations classified as Top Secret???
Next >>