What I am concerned about is not so much a matter of freedom of speech as it is an issue of freedom of expression. I find it interesting that so many people within the electronic music community draw this distinction between downloading an original unaltered copy of a digital track and a track that while mostly unaltered is overlayed with some other copyrighted work for certain parts. What that seems to communicate is that a greater value is placed on the expression of the individual (dj in this case) than the rights of the copyright holder. I can honestly say I have not met a single person that is against the distribution of copyrighted works in the form of a dj set, and that most people seem to think that an slightly altered copy is completely ok. I feel generally the same way but I am willing to admit that it is totally hypocritical. I do not deny it for a second. This is something to consider when you seek a position born of principle which most pro-copyright activists do. A position of principle requires an application of said principle to all situations one might encounter or else it it not a true 'principle'. (look up the word if you do not really understand it)
I can't help but feel there is a large disconnect between the laws of the land and the standards of society particularly in this regard.
But that is exactly what will happen. Just look at the recent uproar over UMG's take down of Youtube videos which they did not have copyright over but some of their artists appeared in the video. They took advantage of some tiny loophole in their agreement with YouTube to suppress the freedom of expression of others. If you give these people any power over content control they will abuse it to the maximum that the law will let them and beyond until they are stopped. Just talk to any lawyers you know... they will confirm that a law is just a rule and any manipulation of the rule is ok as long as it is within the scope of the rule. The problem is that while you might have ethics, well, lets just say that is not something that bothers some people and it is those people that you must consider first and foremost when considering powers which are endowed to people.Phase Ghost wrote:I think everyone agrees that Hollywood or whoever shouldn't get a golden ticket to axe any site they want that has a snippet of a tune or a picture of an album or whatever. But, sites that blatantly exist to pirate material should be taken down and possibly prosecuted. That has nothing to do with freedom of speech at all.
Everyone needs to stop looking at the pathetic amount of money they may pocket and start looking at the big picture of how life on this planet will play out.
Some thoughts...
http://betanews.com/2008/10/17/youtube- ... takedowns/