Piercing the peer�to�peer myths: An examination of the Canadian experience: "First, that the Canadian recording industry has sustained significant financial losses in recent years due to decreased music sales. Second, that those losses can be attributed to peer�to�peer file sharing. Third, that the losses have materially harmed Canadian artists"

This is a fascinating article. The author takes on what he calls the three pillars of the CRIA lobbying campaign, which are: "First, that the Canadian recording industry has sustained significant financial losses in recent years due to decreased music sales. Second, that those losses can be attributed to peer–to–peer file sharing. Third, that the losses have materially harmed Canadian artists". It are these three that the RIAA base their lobbying and harassment of music fans, ie the law suits on.

What this article by Michael Geist does is demolish each of the pillars or myths. Everything that the Music industry says and does is to blame all their woes on peer to peer sharing of music files. They have launched court challenges, lobbied governments, thrown obscene amounts of money at candidates and sued everybody on the myth that it is the mp3 that has had such a negative impact on their industry. The truth is, the industry has hurt itself by gouging consumers, through bad talent andn just by being idiotic and refusing to use technology. They prefer to hold to the old method when the old is definately out.

This is also coming out in the trialMGM Studios v. Grokster, the idea that Grokster should be closed down since it has only one purpose and that is to all the free flow of copyrighted material across the 'Net. One of the concerns is that if MGM wins it will basically end technological innovation. There are some who believe this case might send a chill through the computer industry because some may argue that any item that can be used to playback illegally obtained material should be stopped and the manufacturer should be sued.

Geist argument destroys the CRIA's argument. Then again it always was tenuous, which is why the lobby was all for throwing huge amounts of money to get what they want. Why argue facts when you have a wheelbarrow full of money to throw at politicians?

So read the article and read some of the background articles, they are equally as interesting.

Peace