Debating the risks of digital piracy for Hollywood
There's no debate over the evils of digital piracy in Hollywood. But that's not necessarily the case in all quarters of the country.
Harold Feld, legal director of Public Knowledge in Washington, dismisses online piracy as a serious threat, saying that the film industry chronically overestimates its losses from digital shoplifting.
The debate is taking on relevancy as the Obama administration begins to insert itself into the movement to strengthen intellectual property laws and their enforcement globally. On Tuesday, the administration proposed revamping laws to make unauthorized digital streaming of music, movies or other copyrighted content a federal felony. The proposal also called for federal enforcement officials to use wiretaps to pursue those who infringe on the law.
Turning cases of individual piracy into a federal crime is overkill, Feld argued in a Dust-Up series that kicked off Tuesday and is hosted by the Los Angeles Times' Opinion section. Holding up the other end of the debate is Andrew Keen, author of the upcoming "Digital Vertigo: An Anti-Social Manifesto" and the adviser to Arts and Labs, a coalition of entertainment and technology companies.
The second part, published on Wednesday, considered whether entertainment companies should chalk up piracy as the cost of doing business.
-- Alex Pham
The users I know aren't costing anyone a dime. If required to pay, they would do without.
Posted by: Joseph L Cooke | March 16, 2011 at 04:22 PM
When did recording broadcast TV or Radio become Piracy? What's the difference between VHS or Cassette and .avi or .mp3 besides the fact I have to snail mail one.??? Attention RIAA, MPAA..or whoever;
Anything broadcast over "air" is considered legal to be recorded for personal use...remember? When did anyone think to arrest, prosecute and fine high school and college kids for making "mix tapes" for their friends or recording four years of Star Trek programs on VHS tapes??? What's the difference here? The decline in sales is probably due to the fact that you raised prices for our media from $5 for a record album or VHS to $35 for a CD or DVD and WE know it costs you 75% less to produce digital media over vinyl or tape. DUH!
PS: Dear USA Today and other news media sources...do your own research before propagating these whining losers' issues as factual news...you will find that the judges are overturning their whining court cases..
Posted by: Firebase | March 28, 2011 at 12:19 PM