bigOfeature

Too bad the Nazi from the RIAA and the MPAA have struck again. We must keep fighting for our basic freedoms, of which the Internet is a big one.

By David Coulson on Jan 24, 2012

My favorite bit of the story was that the FBI had to be “tipped off” by a Hollywood studio exec that there trouble in digitalville. Everyone needs to take a breath and figure out how to deal with greedheads like kim dotcom versus simple file sharers.

By Terry on Jan 24, 2012

The reaction to illegal file sharing is to shut down the medium that stores legal and illegal files? Then the internet will be next.We will see another SOPA bill - with another name and better PR - go to the US Congress.

I am against illegal file sharing, but the fact that the RIAA and MPAA still don’t have a good delivery system that would help thwart illegal sharing is something they have to own.

This is a typical overreaction (and overreach) by the government, acting on behalf of its ‘constituents’ - i.e. Big Business.

By Bremble on Jan 24, 2012

It’s going to be quite a war from here on out. This is one of many battles that are on the horizon and there will be quite a bit of collateral damage along the way. Progress is never easy….

By RondelRio on Jan 24, 2012

The major film studios and music companies have not been able to arrive at a solid subscription model where you can listen to the music/watch the movies you want for a flat fee. Netflix came closest but even they began to monkey with what had been a successful format. I’m grateful the technology companies made people aware of SOPA and IP legislation when many of the big stakeholders and supporters of the law in America - NBC/Universal, ABC/Disney, FOX - gave short shrift to it in their news divisions hoping to sneak it through. Megaupload, despite being best among file sharing programs, fell victim to its own greed. But who will indict CNET, OWNED by a content provider (CBS/Viacom) who taught an entire generation how and where best to pilfer copyrighted music through file sharing services? What did they think people would share, baby pictures?

By Tony on Jan 24, 2012

i think governments have more other important crap to worry about

By William Dupree on Jan 24, 2012

I still can`t get past companies like Sony that provide you with everything you need to record, rip, burn, share music yet lead the way in double standards by crying to the RIAA about theft…

By sluggo on Jan 24, 2012

Governments are elected to act for the people. The issues that the people are suffering at the moment, and historically are; violent crime, rape, terrorism, war, disease……..
In my view, internet sharing should feature very low on their list of social priorities.

By Daij on Jan 24, 2012

Old tired story. We’ve been through 8-track, cassettes, VCR and Hollywood and recording artist still make money. Greed and total control is all “they” want.

By Cowgill on Jan 24, 2012

It’s a sad day when they close legitimate websites out of concern for someone using it breaking the law. What’s next? Do we shut newspapers if a classified ad is misleading? At least it looks like the insane “piracy” legislation is not going forward.

By JdC on Jan 24, 2012

have they really got nothing better to do?

By paul on Jan 24, 2012

I too have a hard time believing that the government has nothing better to do than crack down on people downloading movies and music. Internet sharing should feature very low on their list of social priorities and they concentrate on fixing the economy and dealing with terrorist first

By alais71 on Jan 24, 2012

Greed greed greed
SOPA Bill
Movie price at $15 each…..

Wow!

By john on Jan 24, 2012

obviously the new music industry doesn`t understand the power of the internet to expose their artists to the world.
I myself don`t download releases available for sale but I do love outtakes, alt takes and live concerts..!!!

By sluggo on Jan 24, 2012

As far as I know there were also legal files there,and I dont think it will stop anything.

By javel on Jan 25, 2012

I doubt this is as big an issue as some fear. The Mega group had moved into wholesale support of pirated material. I have no problem with downloading music to preview it - and I’ll usually delete and buy the CD. I also happily d/l non-copyright music (love the Internect Music Archive!). I do feel sorry for those innocents who have stored their own material and files and maybe paid the $199 for a lifetime subscription - they have been the hardest hit. Just look on this as a small blip in the overall scheme of things.

By AlanK on Jan 25, 2012

In my opinion, downloading music should be avoided when relevant to songs that would eventually be available either “in solid” (CDs, blue-ray disks, etc.) or as files by the authors themselves. I work in hi-fi manufacturing and downloading is actually killing everything…
BUT sharing concerts is both legal (unless forbidden by the authors or the Companies has released the very same concert, which doesn’t ever happen) and beneficial to the artists. I got to know many artists just by listening to their concerts available for downloading. Besides, having concerts reinforces your passion towards your beloved musicians and authors and makes you look forward to purchasing their very next release.
So long live files of concerts!
Last but not least, I agree with all the people who complained about the government spending time and efforts in such minor struggle when major crisis and problems have to be faced.
Keep on rockin’ in a free world!

By Giorgio on Jan 25, 2012

Claims such as Radio is killing/killed vaudeville, television is killing/killed movies, taping is killing/killed the record and movie industry certainly seem like something of a shrill overreaction to a (then) new medium or technological innovation. New technology has been accused of being a death sentence for some previously existing medium many times. What it has more often led to is a birth of something better. Although I do miss vaudeville…..

By Jim Duckworth on Jan 25, 2012

it makes no sense to yank a file sharing site when new ones will pop up shortly after. in fact the same ones will come back with a new name. the last one to disappear filesonic was back the next day under a new name. who do they think theyre kidding? and there are always ways around this. proxy servers and connections that appear to come from other places. theres other ways. they cant put everyone in prison. they cant get money from stones. theyre complaining that the industry is losing money but theyre spending 100s of $1000s on prosecuting people. why not give that money to the artist? the grandmothers that theyre suing certainly arent going to come up with that money to pay off the musicians for having a few songs on their computers when they had limewire installed or when they had frostwire or something running and they were caught. remember that woman who was caught with 24 songs and was sued for $2.4million? she has a normal job. she cant pay that. she cant even pay her lawyer. so all that money was wasted in prosecuting her. court costs and so on. for what end? and then the some odd $40k that they spend in keeping people in jail for a year. and u cant say they dont do that to people. i know they do. and then they make felons out of the ones they go after. so then those people cant get decent paying jobs so they can become productive members of society again. so in many cases they become burdons on society. now many of them are costing the system money. see where im going with this?

By darth on Jan 25, 2012

The genie of file sharing was let out of the bottle a long time ago and it is not going back in any time soon. The feds (on behalf of big business) can shut down megaupload but others will spring up to take their place. And yes, I agree that governments should have better things to do than worry about digital fire sharing. If it is the RIAA’s problem then the RIAA should do something to fix it. Maybe by lowering outrageous CD prices.

By Mackster on Jan 25, 2012

There have battles over copyrighted material for generations. Why did companies give us blank cassettes, CDR’s, burners, etc, and then complain about people using them? All CDs should be a flat rate of $9.99. That would stop a lot of piracy.

By Phil on Jan 25, 2012

We all like music, and digital file sharing is simply the quickest, easiest, newest way for us to access it. You’d think the record companies would have enough brains to turn this situation to their advantage, rather than pissing away their dwindling resources trying to prosecute music fans. Simple economics and the law of supply and demand will eventually sort this all out one way or another. Ultimately, we just want our cheap music, and we will have it whether the RIAA works with this fact or works against it. It’s a shame that some individuals have become victims of the RIAA’s ultimately fruitless attempts to turn back the tide of the future. And as many have said here, the government should DEFINITELY have more important issues to focus on.

By Jim Kneubuhl on Jan 25, 2012

Remember when TV was free? Going to the movies was an affordable escape from life’s troubles? Remember when you could afford Disneyland? Or if not, you could afford a tank of gas and take the family out for a Sunday drive. After the last great depression the government set up programs to assist citizens in need. So Americans wouldn’t have to suffer that way again. But they are slowly pulling back the carpet now that we need help again. The rich are convinced that the poor are taking money out of their pockets. The Internet is one of the last forms of free/cheap entertainment. That is, unless your provider charges you a penalty for going over your monthly cap because you watched a movie from Net Flix on your computer, is now under attack. If they can’t tax it they will destroy it. The government showed us they don’t have to wait until they pass a bill like SOPA to get what they want. They can move without laws. I’m against music & movie piracy too but I can not afford to buy over priced cd/dvd of popular music and movies. So I have contented myself with low quality 40 year old concert recordings by bands the music industry no longer support. But now that will be taken away too. Let’s see. That leaves the only forms of cheap entertainment and escape from the realities of this economy to be sex, drugs & alcohol. If only I was young enough & healthy enough to do that.
Again.

By Sking on Jan 25, 2012

I think Mega just got too big. Sure other sites will always fill the void, but when any one entity comes in and caprtures too much market w/out paying taxes or tribute, they will draw attention.

By steve22 on Jan 25, 2012

I suspect this is merely the thin edge of the wedge, and marks the beginning of the end for free and easy exchange of files among friends, and ultimately, between suppliers and their clients.
We’ve enjoyed a golden age since the birth of the internet. While porno has become a huge industry and music pirating has got out of control, file exchanges via the semi-anonymity of the net have been the norm for two decades.
There will be very few teens (and much older) net users who do not have access to, and a huge stash of, porno and music the likes of which the semi-geriatrics among us could but dream of as kids.
SOPA, and the action against MegaUpload, followed by so many other cloud-exchange marketers falling on their swords.
I sense a cyclical turning of the tide not only against free exchange of music but against individual freedoms such as the god-given right to wank over porn, as Government flexes its muscle and starts refining mechanisms to control the internet.
As the world plunges deeper into crises financial, political and climatic, expect the concept of ‘rights’ to come under constant attack from a burgeoning Right wing.
I would not be surprised if, within a decade, many governments are controlling net access just as China does now - but with considerably more sophistication.
Enjoy it while you can, folks!

By the Real tony ( :p ) on Jan 25, 2012

I too feel this is just the beginning, But after seeing some of the so called representatives of the People trying desperately to talk about the bill and their clear lack of understanding of even the basics of the net they don’t realize there will always be ways around their attempts. But unfortunately it wont be them clamping down it will be the US military and so called justice department (The one that deals out justice on different levels according to your status) So either we will have a sanitized boring and worthless internet or we’ll figure out codes and run arounds witch may just get to be a hassle. Regardless it’s time to infiltrate the Democratic party and take it over with people who have actual integrity if not all is lost of this embryonic country !!!
And it’s already starving Democracy.

By Revolutionarybum on Jan 25, 2012

I see this as another corporate greed thing. We know that Megaupload was sharing/selling but if it was copywrited material… I guess they had it coming and it is understandable. But what more nefarious: corporations want to control the internet, in all aspects. From selling us the access, viewing whatever we’re interested in, to downloading all the content. And we welcome it, we make corps our friends on Facebook, we link corp sites to our own, we allow advertising on our sites. The govrnmnt is only doing what the corps are telling them to do, after all, they hold the purse strings. The politicos make the laws based on what they are told, and they are told that the music/movie business is losing money on the internet and pirate sites like Megaupload and Pirate Bay and it has to be dealt with otherwise there will be no money to finance the politicos.

By Deak on Jan 25, 2012

interesting that we haven’t heard too much from some of the major superstars on all this. methinks they can’t complain about loss of internet freedoms as it actually may mean they earn more cash! artistic hypocrasy again!

By Liam NSW on Jan 25, 2012

This is just the beginning, I think. Piracy had really gone too far, though. It would end up killing music and artists, in the end. Hope they don’t destroy the sharing of live music too! That would be wrong and terrible.

By frank capra on Jan 25, 2012

A site such as BigO actually PROMOTES the artists. I’ve purchased DOZENS of CD’s by artists previously unknown to me prior to their exposure on BigO…

By TDC on Jan 25, 2012

I think that the closure of MU was the largest data theft in history, backed by the FBI.

By edysim on Jan 25, 2012

I’m not a prude or religious fanatic or anything like that, but I certainly find it extremely IRONIC that such sites as FileServe, Uploaded, and FileSonic have all but disappeared and are still under the FBI gun, while PersianKitty for example runs pretty much undisturbed through this period. Totally different file and info contents, of course, but I’m just sayin’…

And never, ever thought I’d say: “Go go RapidShare!” Weird times.

By golgo hakase on Jan 25, 2012

i hope if any like megaupload is down, another one will rise.
for about 25 years i have sponsored freaks like britney spears with givin thousands of bucks the fuckin industry, paying 20 dollars a cd in middle europe. i thing its time to receive something for my money, even its free
gouverments who act like this are puppets of the industry or other interest as they are in drug politics or the pharmacy industry for example, nothing else.

By olek on Jan 26, 2012

From the day that computer geek discovered a way to turn a music file into a computer file, was the day the music industry should have freaked. Since then, they have allowed this to happen, computer giants like Apple and Microsoft have enabled everyone to rip, burn, email and post music files anywhere they can. Since Napster over ten years ago this file sharing has progressed into the mainstream. I come to sites like Big O to check out what’s being posted and to download it for my own enjoyment, just as if I went to buddies house in the 80’s and taped one of his records. So what… They missed the boat and now expect everyone to jump to their rules. The horse left the barn a decade ago and they act like its something new… Btw… Doesn’t Kim Dotcom look like Fat Bastard from the Austin Powers films? : )

By Woodstock on Jan 26, 2012

Between 1/5 and 1/4 of Americans are unemployed (real rate, not the official one that only counts those collecting benefits). And 1/2 of Americans are living in poverty. I don’t even know how many have lost their homes to foreclosure. But thank God the US government put an end to file sharing. Glad they have their priorities straight in the land of the free. Thousands living on the streets will sleep better now, I’m sure. I’m not advocating piracy, by any means. I have supported musical artists my whole life by buying their legitimate albums and going to concerts back when the latter was affordable to us regular folks who might wear tennis shoes or an occasional python boot. My old computer couldn’t download or stream a movie even if I wanted it to, and I don’t really care. But how important are sites like Megaupload compared to human lives? I guess now we know.

By aking on Jan 26, 2012

Very grim unless all of us who believe that information must be free and accessible get on the offensive and let people know what is happening beyond their often-narrow horizons. Currently it is “I don’t download that stuff, so why should I care.” If this trend continues, someday it will be something about which they do care, such as football scores.

This is another example of twisted, misdirected governmental priorities enabled by a lobbyist-driven system which could be reversed if people paid more attention to what their tax dollars are being used for and less to what the Khardashians and “American Idol” contestants are doing.

By James on Jan 26, 2012

I’m thoroughly sick of the entertainment industry’s whining.

“Illegal” file sharing is their own fault. For decades, media providers have been providing lousy product at inflated prices. Instead of offering quality products at a fair and affordable cost, their unending greed has brought them to where they are now, and it’s the reason the music and video retail business has been all but destroyed (they were actually STUPID enough to believe that people were going to pay $20 for a CD at Tower Records!).

Copyright laws are insane and need to be changed as well. Why should any record label be able to own copyrights to recordings that are a half-century old?! Patents in the U.S. are good for 20 years; copyrights should have a simliar time limit and be non-renewable.

The bottom line here is that there is no way to put the digital genie back into an analog bottle. File-sharing is here to stay; even shutting down the internet won’t stop it. The media corporations had better come to that realization, clean up their act and come up with a realistic business model before they all go bankrupt.

By Jonny on Jan 26, 2012

The trouble with Megaupload and the others is that you could easily find “official” music (or movies) that companies should have every right to profit from. We can debate about the profit those companies make, but in a general sense stealing that product hurts the artists, the companies and the stores that sell it. Whatever each one of us does for a living, we expect to get paid for it. The same applies for the artists, etc. who aim to put out the best product that the public will love only to see a certain portion of the audience expect it to be their “right” to get it for free. A happy medium will have to be reached for digital music sharing to continue. A music business that offers a wide variety of content cannot survive without income coming in.

By Kevin on Jan 26, 2012

Frank Capra (see his post ten posts up ^)used to make movies that championed the downtrodden. They were popular because it connected to the audience of the times. Where are those kind of films now that times are rough again. Hollywood is out of touch. They can’t tell a story with heart because there are no special effects involved.
The real culprit in this Megauplaod business is probably the guy that owned the company. He got greedy and thought he was above the governments reach. Perhaps it would all be OK now if he had donated to his favorite political party.
If you watch the film Festival Express you’ll hear fans claiming the music should be free and it belongs to the people. Someone, it may have been Jerry, explains that there are operating costs & equipment and everybody involved expects to get paid for doing their job.

By sking on Jan 26, 2012

The fact that the government went ahead & shut down MU just makes me angry. I never downloaded any pirated content from them, only music that the labels themselves refuse to release because it may not be as profitable for them. If the labels actually had a real plan for how to take advantage of music and/or movies & video I would support them. What would it cost them to release a concert or even a series of concerts online (not in a physical form such as a CD or DVD) from the Stones, Floyd, or even a lesser known “cult” act that has been not been “profitable” in ages?? If the price was reasonable I would buy it and I think most of the visitors to this site would too. Instead, year after year we see the same tired greatest hits packages come down–with a bonus rare cut or 2 if we are lucky. Looking at my music collection, I’ve purchased the exact same music in LP form, 8 Track, cassette, & CD. Throw me a bone here & give the people what they want. I download music that is not available officially because someone somewhere has determined it should not be. The real fans want it all. I can understand piracy concerns, but with the economy and job markets the way that they are I also shouldn’t have to pay $15 to go see a movie that in all likelihood probably isn’t that good anyway. It’s ALL just product to them and there is no consumer backlash. This country is bought & sold everyday now and it is pathetic. Just hire some lobbyists and pay off your elected officials and you too will get what you want. It doesn’t matter what is right or what the majority want anymore. Big business looms large. No question MU did get greedy, but hopefully some others will fill the void left by them and do it better and smarter.

By Big Willie on Jan 26, 2012

I’m kind of mixed on this. As a musician, I would hate to see my recorded music out there for everyone to grab,without any compensation, but I enjoy sharing older soundboards and FM recordings. Live music just offers so much more that the artists don’t always capture in the studio.

By Ken on Jan 26, 2012

Sking-
I heard the same argument about the music being free as well in both the Woodstock and Isle Of Wight docs.If you’ll remember the crowds tore the fences down in both.I really feel sorry for the guy on stage in the second mentioned because he looked as if he would have a coronary so upset was he that ppl were so ungrateful and thought they had a right to ‘free’ music.People do expect to be paid for their work.Was Jimi or Mountain for example going to go on for free? Who was gonna paid the helicopter that flew some of these acts in?

On the other hand I will say that this episode with MU won’t stop other from filling the void.Go mediafire!

By matt_the_cat on Jan 27, 2012

The more the government tries to clamp down on file-sharing sites, the more creative those associated sites will become in avoiding interference. It is a challenge not easily fought, and never likely to be won…

By Mr Dude on Jan 27, 2012

Maybe they should shut down the television networks because those distribute lies and bullshit.

By kingpossum on Jan 27, 2012

Stop giving your money to entertainment companies entirely:

- Don’t buy movie tickets
- Don’t buy DVDs
- Don’t buy CDs
- Cancel your cable
- Cancel your Direct TV
- Cancel your Netflix
- Don’t use Redbox
- Don’t watch TV
- Don’t buy pay-per-view anything

They only way these people make money is by you handing it to them.

By kingpossum on Jan 27, 2012

It’s the same in all countrys, not only in the Internet, it is everywhere. Freedom is going smaller

By Rioo on Jan 27, 2012

There has to be a solution to this. You can not shut down such sites and expect it to go away. There is too much benefit (outside of sharing artists material) for the masses.

Perhaps they need to go back at look at what worked in the past. For example, in the 1970’s each blank cassette (remember TKA SA 90’s?) included a royalty charge that went to general fund that supported the artists. Can’t the smart heads on all sides get together and figure it out. So many small artist trying to get their work out are being hurt by this. THERE IS A SOLUTION….FIND IT !

By Bubbles on Jan 27, 2012

I also see this as just the beginning, and a means to an end - the end of internet downloading as we know it.

That said, the sales and royalties lost on downloads of material available at retail has been large enough to essentially kill the CD and put a serious squeeze on legitimate MP3 sales. Had there been some understanding, an “honor among thieves,” if you will, to stick with ROIO bootlegs and out-of-print material, the industry would not have pressed so hard for legislative affirmation and legal action.

But, what’s done is done. If sharing ROIOs and OOPs survives, fine. If not, then it may be time for internet surfers to call it a day, and spend time listening to the hundreds, even thousands, of MP3s in their files.

By O.B. Dan on Jan 28, 2012

I’m not so pessimistic O.B….the industry would also (somehow,some way) wanna get their nut for ROIOs.Can’t turn one’s back on tech advancements either-The MP3 is here to stay.The worse it gets for us the worse it will get for the industry as well.

By matt_the_cat on Jan 28, 2012

No pessimism, Matt, just very matter-of-fact. It’s been a good run. And we’ve all enjoyed the ride. If it ends, it ends.

For some folks, it might be a golden opportunity to re-discover life outside the cyber-world.

By O.B. Dan on Jan 28, 2012

This is ongoing. Other technologies will arise & be miss-used by some. The entertainment industry is full of non-thinkers (and creatives!) but eventually somebody will figure it out.

Let’s enjoy what we have & support the artists we’ve discovered through sites such as Bigo.

By tajackson on Jan 28, 2012

Violation of freedom!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

By Rochacrimson on Jan 29, 2012

The Internet was developed and built on the American taxpayers’ dime (well, trillions of dimes). They ought to be able to use it as they damn well see fit.
Of course, U.S. law also says the American people own the airwaves, and what normal citizen profits, or has any control over who gets to “own” broadcast frequencies?
This government freak-out over filesharing is just another example of the one-percenters getting what they want. The U.S. “entertainment” industry is acknowledging that it doesn’t give the people what they want, and charge too much for what entertainment they do provide. So they deny us access to EVERYthing just to protect the crappy “art” they are producing today.
I mean, I have downloaded old, out of print l.p.’s because there is NOTHING released that week that can touch the older material.
So, in order to stop me from downloading the latest from some American Idol loser, they remove the filesharing service I pay for, and was using to distribute MY OWN MUSIC!
This is more criminal insanity from the people who got the Congress they own to rewrite copyright law, so that now it’s illegal for ME to making copies of CDs of MY OWN MUSIC!
We’re in Bizarroland, folks, and it’s only going to get worse until the U.S. has its long-overdue worker’s revolt.
Oh, and I will always contend that people could have illegally downloaded music until kingdom come, but it’s the movie downloading that brought this retribution upon us. So, way to go, movie downloaders.

By xtro on Jan 29, 2012

They can’t go after Megaupload or any of them. It obviously infringes on freedom of the internet, and who are they to govern that. No one can govern the internet.

By Nick on Jan 29, 2012

The internet is a great source for people who like to explore different bands in genres they like. I have on several occasions downloaded live concerts using the facilities on a whim and enjoyed them so much that I have gone out and bought albums by bands that otherwise I would not have heard. The music industry will lose out on ‘chance’ sales if they take away people who browse and listen to music they have not heard of before doing so.

By Daij on Jan 29, 2012

Next, they will eliminate our right to share pictures of our families. When will Americans learn that it is not about “illegal file sharing”, but about control over our civil rights. We will be back to pre-Revolutionary War status before long. Just look at the long list of taxes we pay…for what we receive in return. Representation? HA!

By Tom Billings on Jan 30, 2012

Greed, pure and simple…

By Lenny on Jan 31, 2012

Shutdowns like this are like doing surgery with an axe or watering flowers with a firehose. Too much - and it’s more harmful than helpful.

By mike on Jan 31, 2012

The almighty dollar trumps all. Very few artists are being ripped off by sites like MU , It’s the corporations that churn out cookie cutter bull$h1t with little or no redeeming value who are concerned that someone might get a “free” copy of an album they would never have produced in the first place.

By NAMoosedog on Feb 1, 2012

Really nothing more than the rich proecting the rich. This does not adress any real problems ad above all does nothing for the majority of musicians.The web was supossed to be about freedom of information, another false dream that we lapped up!

By abramson on Feb 1, 2012

Here’s the WORST analogy I could think of. Imagine that you after years of trying you and your girl/wife finally became parents through in-vitro fertilization and a Caesarean section.

Now imagine that 14 years later the doctor, anesthesiologist, nurse, the egg or sperm donors, and your next dooor neighbor, take the child to do with what they choose, while sharing it between them in intervals.

I’ve been chasing film and still photo bootleggers off the internet for an elderly associate who is losing income which would make his life more comfortable.

Having bought some material from him I now have to protect the copyrights for myself. Without sufficient resources it is next to impossible to catch and stop all the violators.

There seems to be an abundance of communication towards people who expect to get everything for free, without protection for the owners, as compared to the legitimate sharing of personal files.

The dialog has to continue until everyone understands and can respect the difference.

By undead on Feb 1, 2012

Piracy is theft, bootlegging is promotion for the artists.

By johnny82853 on Feb 4, 2012

The day that the internet is restricted is the day we live under a regime. As for file sharing, and piracy:There is good and bad about both sides of the topic. maybe the days of paying 22.95 american for a single CD is over. technology will catch up to the problem. The real problem is called, “trickle down greed.” Corporate world is willing to “hold out” on any real economic upturns, because right this second the corporate world is making a killing and at the same time killing us slowly,with the slow destruction of the planet and the exhausting of world resources.
peace…

By Johnny C on Feb 5, 2012

Land of the Free - one day?

By Ken on Feb 5, 2012

Streaming is obviously driving down the amount of file sharing and illegal downloading. And I think there is a difference (however tenuous) between downloading a new release Hollywood film from Pirate Bay or Mega Upload and downloading a concert that is unavailable elsewhere as part of a community of music fans like this one.

By Jeremy Shatan on Feb 7, 2012

As of today, I am unemployed 4 years! This has been my only way of getting music to listen to, since there are no jobs out there, so that I could continue to buy my own CDs. It’s all corporate greed and they should all rot for what they’ve done to this country (USA)!

By Dennis on Feb 7, 2012

Anyone who can’t see the powerful wave of corporate fascism smashing away at the freedoms of the world is either ignorant, willfully blind or one of the fascists already.

Like the people responsible for this whole clampdown.

Shouldn’t we be more worried about Peace in Our Time?

By Sluggo714 on Feb 8, 2012

So, if I understand this correctly, as the DMCA is written, I can’t legally download something from a shared upload - let’s say, a copyright proteted CD - but if someone streams that same CD, and I record it through an ANALOG device, it’s OK?

There’s a fine line between sensible and silly with regard to copyright protection. I don’t think we will ever get the genie back into the bottle, regardless of how many “Megauploads” the U.S. Government shuts down.

The music industry should be ashamed of itself for not harnessing the power of the Internet early on. Now, the only thing it can do is go for a “scorched earth” attack on everyone who shares music on line. I will not ever buy another CD or overpriced download from them. I rationalize it as just getting even from their monopolistic abuse of music collectors and fans from the 1970’s through the 1990’s.

By Alan on Feb 8, 2012

They got hit REALLY hard by the internet and you can say what ever you want but when you mess with someones money they are going to act just like the music business is now,plus when you have artists realeasing music on their own websites on their own terms the bigshots ain`t making that cash like they used to.Besides,why record albums for pennies on the dollar and make some record company rich when you can tour 3 or 4 months out of every year charging 100 dollars a seat and get to keep most of it?Just like the movie business in the late 60`s,they want it to be like it has been because thats the way they know how to make money….they learned their lesson then and the music business will learn it to,the hard way.Fear is a tool to control people and things around you,the music business will have to change because it`s too late to try and scare anybody into buting a new cd with crappy music on it for 20 bucks…just don`t buy it and then they will have to change to conform to usand what WE want.

By couz on Feb 10, 2012

The movie and music business is trying as always to get as much money from the punters as they can artist have for a long time been ripped off by the industry. The industry is wrong to think that this new media ie the web will be controlled in the same way as it has controlled other media for so long. The talent of people is not in question artist musician film maker etc should be paid that is not in question what I think in my small humble way is for to long the media middle-men have had it all their own way. We as consumers have now a way of gaining access to media without the middle-man in the way ie corporations are now redundant musicians film-makers can now publish directly to the consumer and the middle-men don’t like it. All profits can now go to the artist whatever media they work in so the inflated prices of music and films has just recently dropped now you can download what you want without having to sit through entire album for the song you wanted to hear great! Artist like Prince are even giving away the album free and recouping money via concert tickets this is a new model of business and the old corporations are too slow to change. So this is why I think they have created agencies such as the RIAA and the MPAA to try to maintain a statu-quo and make criminals of kids in bedrooms sharing information like music,films or software etc it is their greed which will eventually destroy them. Yes to new forms of supporting artist yes to paying them directly for their work and fuck off to big business ripping off the punters and the artists!

By ronald on Feb 11, 2012

The RIAA like the MPAA and all the entertainment organizations have way too much lobbying power in Washington!

By Walter O on Feb 12, 2012

The RIAA and the film studios have asked themselves the wrong question. Instead of asking “How do we stop this?” they should have asked “How do we make money out of this?” That’s what Apple did, and the result was the iTunes store, not everyone’s favourite by any means, but record companies and artists are actually making money from downloads.

By Peter Nixon on Feb 12, 2012

It’s hard to defend websites, like megaupload apparently, whose management gets rich by encouraging free rapid downloading of released/copyrighted music and movies. As to music, there are artists to feed and there is a wealth of unreleased concerts and demos to legally download. There is a fairly clear line as to what’s legal, and that is the line we should be defending, because these unreleased materials will eventually disappear if we get greedy.

By docdon on Feb 13, 2012

It’s all [email protected]. People will find a way.

By NAMoosedog on Feb 13, 2012

I’m not sure that the music industry has acutally worked out that the ability to download any track on demand has already, irrevocably changed the way we listen to, and value, music. Why would you bother spending £10 on a CD, of which you’ve only heard 1 or 2 tracks when you can get as much as you want FOC (legally as well as illegally); and if so much is available, you’re less likely to see any specific piece of music an investment - you’re more likley to have moved on to the next thing. In other words, there is little percieved value in any individual track or piece of music.

By Roger on Feb 15, 2012

It’s just a new cat and mouse game. The past versus the future. They may win some major battles but the war belongs to the people.Culture is changing but the greedy few can’t find a way to change with it. Artists will eventually control their own destiny,not no talent suits. there is a new generation,new technology,and new desire for change.It can be slowed down but NEVER stopped. Until then F$#K the RIAA and all of it’s handmaidens.

By warlock on Feb 21, 2012

.. and so it goes !!!

By momo on Feb 22, 2012

We’ll just go back to the days of vines and weeds, sharing cds
through the US Mail…oh wait, they’re going under too.
See how well the government works? They could be spending
their time re-inventing the Post Office!

By fortwally on Mar 1, 2012

It’s all well and good to say, “screw the pigs’ but try and download a GREAT Led Zep anything and within two weeks you will receive notice from the MAN about your ongoing file theft. Warner Bros. & Sony will have their way as they still have more CASH than we do.
Though I’m not usually easily intimidated, a letter from the FCC with your name and what laws you are presently breaking will make you stop for a moment to at least consider… Be Safe All-

By john McNea on Mar 1, 2012

There are still several good options for people. We just need to remember the time and effort we spent finding sites like Megaupload in the first place.

By psykomyko on Mar 12, 2012

In Canada Steven Harper’s dictatorship -oops - majority government - is set to pass a sopa like law that will also let the “law” do phone taps and email/net searching without a warrant. this is for anyone they want apparently. I didn’t vote him in but somebody did- and yet when i asked around at a gathering who voted for him , there was a silence as everyone looked at a guy and there was one nasty moment.

By brian on Mar 14, 2012