They just don't get it... (This is a long one)
To my 2 blog readers: this is quite a technology rant, feel free to skip to the last paragraph.
It all started when my uncle sent an email to my mom asking if I still download music for free... She had no idea, so she asked me. Yes I do, but I use something called Peer Guardian which blocks people/companies who might be trying to see what/that I am downloading. My dad asked me to explain what it is/how it works, and I did. But that I explained to him and am about to for you (WARNING: RANTING ON THE WAY) that the Recording Industry Association of America better known as the RIAA (and the Motion Picture Association of America aka the MPAA) are really in a jam, because they are having to reestablish themselves in this new model of music and video distribution. They don't get a lot of this new technology, because its the 60 yr old baby boomers that are writing stupid legislature, and wondering why people think they are loopy. They just don't get it...
The reason why the RIAA came into existence was so that artists could get widespread publicity and exposure. They took a huge chunk of the artist's profits for themselves because of their huge part of making the artist big. With the internet and its ability to skyrocket your neighbors garage band to the band that everyone is talking about, they are not needed anymore. Bands such as Hawthorne Heights, as well as Hastings' own "The Locals" and other bands have taken advantage of Myspace, Facebook, and other social networking sites and the internet in general to gain fame. This is great for them, no need to have the RIAA and their labels take a huge chunk of their profits/money upfront. The RIAA however is saying "HEY! What about me? Where do I fit in?" The bottom line is that in today's society, as far as I can tell, the RIAA isn't needed anymore. They are being cut out of the distribution model, and are pissed about this. The artist can produce songs, and then just go to a online music vendor such as iTunes and take all or most of the profits themselves. What I see happening is the RIAA is worrying about where it fits in this new model, and suing people frantically (even those who don't own a computer) for downloading music illegally. Here is where I see the second phase of my rant.
My generation/people younger than me, were born around the time of the internet, and have always downloaded music. (I do remember there being no internet at home, but having it at school, and getting a new mac, and buying something from amazon.com, and loving it :) ) I have rarely bought CDs. It's no secret that concerts support the artists better. Millions of people download music illegally daily. The (grim for the RIAA) reality is the fact that paying for music is for the most part foreign to people like me and younger. You wanted a song, you hopped onto the old Napster or Kazaa or LimeWire and downloaded it. Done. It was a simple and efficient process. End of story. The RIAA doesn't make any money out of someone downloading music illegally. People are not suddenly going to start pay for music unless it provides for an experience BETTER than that with p2p filesharing apps. The iTunes Music Store is a great step in the right direction, because of the digital art/other extras, but it's still not quite there. What pisses me off further is that there are 60 year olds in congress dictating how I use technology. My parents are younger than that, and my mom (love you, but) still has general computer trouble. I cannot believe that people who are working in congress that have a complete grasp of how the laws they are making are going to stifle/promote technology in this country. These people will not even accept iPods as gifts to learn get a chance to learn/play around with technology. It just really bothers me that they don't get it. They just don't understand what they are doing with laws such as the DMCA, and its recently proposed amendment. I completely believe in having rights to things that you make, as well as Fair Use, but some restrictions out there are just too absurd. Don't get me started on the restrictions on digital/sometimes Hi-Def TV.
I guess I'm just mainly frustrated at the predicament that we find ourselves in today. I feel like congress is blindly making laws about technology, and the RIAA is picking numbers out of the phone book and calling them, and saying that they have downloaded music illegally. It's just frustrating to me to see all of this technological promise being slowed to a crawl or halt with bureaucracy, or good technology being crapped up with tons of restrictions. The RIAA and the MPAA have to face reality, and realize that their niche is gone. The world has moved on. I'll be the first one to admit that I'm not all that political, but this fuckin' government really is screwing stuff up, in more ways than one. I'm sorry this post was so long winded, I just really had to vent my frustration. If you stuck it out, good for you.
If you care at all about technology and your technology rights, I suggest that you join these groups:
IPAC (Information Political Action Committee) - http://www.ipaction.org/
EFF (The Electronic Frontier Foundation) - http://www.eff.org/
Until later...
It all started when my uncle sent an email to my mom asking if I still download music for free... She had no idea, so she asked me. Yes I do, but I use something called Peer Guardian which blocks people/companies who might be trying to see what/that I am downloading. My dad asked me to explain what it is/how it works, and I did. But that I explained to him and am about to for you (WARNING: RANTING ON THE WAY) that the Recording Industry Association of America better known as the RIAA (and the Motion Picture Association of America aka the MPAA) are really in a jam, because they are having to reestablish themselves in this new model of music and video distribution. They don't get a lot of this new technology, because its the 60 yr old baby boomers that are writing stupid legislature, and wondering why people think they are loopy. They just don't get it...
The reason why the RIAA came into existence was so that artists could get widespread publicity and exposure. They took a huge chunk of the artist's profits for themselves because of their huge part of making the artist big. With the internet and its ability to skyrocket your neighbors garage band to the band that everyone is talking about, they are not needed anymore. Bands such as Hawthorne Heights, as well as Hastings' own "The Locals" and other bands have taken advantage of Myspace, Facebook, and other social networking sites and the internet in general to gain fame. This is great for them, no need to have the RIAA and their labels take a huge chunk of their profits/money upfront. The RIAA however is saying "HEY! What about me? Where do I fit in?" The bottom line is that in today's society, as far as I can tell, the RIAA isn't needed anymore. They are being cut out of the distribution model, and are pissed about this. The artist can produce songs, and then just go to a online music vendor such as iTunes and take all or most of the profits themselves. What I see happening is the RIAA is worrying about where it fits in this new model, and suing people frantically (even those who don't own a computer) for downloading music illegally. Here is where I see the second phase of my rant.
My generation/people younger than me, were born around the time of the internet, and have always downloaded music. (I do remember there being no internet at home, but having it at school, and getting a new mac, and buying something from amazon.com, and loving it :) ) I have rarely bought CDs. It's no secret that concerts support the artists better. Millions of people download music illegally daily. The (grim for the RIAA) reality is the fact that paying for music is for the most part foreign to people like me and younger. You wanted a song, you hopped onto the old Napster or Kazaa or LimeWire and downloaded it. Done. It was a simple and efficient process. End of story. The RIAA doesn't make any money out of someone downloading music illegally. People are not suddenly going to start pay for music unless it provides for an experience BETTER than that with p2p filesharing apps. The iTunes Music Store is a great step in the right direction, because of the digital art/other extras, but it's still not quite there. What pisses me off further is that there are 60 year olds in congress dictating how I use technology. My parents are younger than that, and my mom (love you, but) still has general computer trouble. I cannot believe that people who are working in congress that have a complete grasp of how the laws they are making are going to stifle/promote technology in this country. These people will not even accept iPods as gifts to learn get a chance to learn/play around with technology. It just really bothers me that they don't get it. They just don't understand what they are doing with laws such as the DMCA, and its recently proposed amendment. I completely believe in having rights to things that you make, as well as Fair Use, but some restrictions out there are just too absurd. Don't get me started on the restrictions on digital/sometimes Hi-Def TV.
I guess I'm just mainly frustrated at the predicament that we find ourselves in today. I feel like congress is blindly making laws about technology, and the RIAA is picking numbers out of the phone book and calling them, and saying that they have downloaded music illegally. It's just frustrating to me to see all of this technological promise being slowed to a crawl or halt with bureaucracy, or good technology being crapped up with tons of restrictions. The RIAA and the MPAA have to face reality, and realize that their niche is gone. The world has moved on. I'll be the first one to admit that I'm not all that political, but this fuckin' government really is screwing stuff up, in more ways than one. I'm sorry this post was so long winded, I just really had to vent my frustration. If you stuck it out, good for you.
If you care at all about technology and your technology rights, I suggest that you join these groups:
IPAC (Information Political Action Committee) - http://www.ipaction.org/
EFF (The Electronic Frontier Foundation) - http://www.eff.org/
Until later...
posted by sidens at 4/26/2006 09:46:00 PM
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