RIAA = Big Brother

Though it has been happening for years, every time news is reported about the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) it just gets more and more ludicrous. Supposedly the RIAA is increasing its crackdown on illegal file-sharing, specifically within college campus networks. According to an Associated Press article by Ted Bridis, "the music industry is sending thousands more copyright complaints to universities this school year than last." Obviously it is not giving up its fight to curb illegal downloading. And, obviously, the RIAA is not thinking of more effective ways to get people to stop stealing music.

What gets to me the most is that this "crackdown" is aimed specifically at college students. I of course have a bias because I happen to be a college student, but that is not why I am outraged. Well, thinking about it I am not necessarily outraged. As I sit here writing this, eating a bowl of recently prepared pasta and pondering the goings on of the music industry, I find myself slightly annoyed and highly entertained at this specific situation. What irks me is that the RIAA has the nerve to target the literal future leaders of this country. How can I back this opinion up? Take a gander at the penalties becoming popular by many universities:

- First time offenders usually receive a warning via e-mail. Usually this is enough to discourage violators to cease and desist all illegal action.

- Second time offenders may be called into the principal's office and forced to watch anti-piracy videos provided graciously by the RIAA.

- Third timers may, get this, be suspended for an entire semester. (!)

Threatening e-mails, mind-numbing videos, suspension of Internet connection AND from enrolled classes...it just doesn't make much sense. College students have enough on their plate without having to deal with laughable threats and lawsuits. Not all college students fit the stereotype of 24/7 partying accompanied by 24/7 piracy and sleeping in late. Though I myself fit into one of those stereotypes...I love some good shut-eye...However, there are many, MANY hardworking, dedicated students of academia simply do not have the time to deal with the RIAA acting like they know what they are doing. While there are undoubtedly some individuals who deserve to be "disciplined" for downloading a huge volume of pirated content, there are many who may have been singled out for only downloading or sharing one file. ONE. I know it may be difficult to distinguish between a big-time repeat downloader and a small-time peer-to-peer dabbler, but I do not think that is fair.

While the debate over peer-to-peer file-sharing is large and multi-sided, and the point of this post is not to debate whether it is good or bad, I have to bring up a success story brought on by Napster. The band Dispatch attributes most of its success to file-sharing and illegal downloading. This isn't debatable, as even the manager of the band, Steve Bursky, agrees, "Whenever anyone asks me how the Dispatch phenomenon happened, I'd attribute a huge portion to the early days of Napster." In fact, when Napster was going through the mess of lawsuits they experienced in 2000, Dispatch was there to support Napster and even threw a benefit concert on behalf of Napster.

While illegal downloading can in fact make a legitimate impact in an album's sales, it can also be a huge promotional tool. Dispatch had one television appearance in their eight year history and virtually no radio play. However, they are a music phenomenon and drew roughly 100,000 fans to their last show. Amazing.

Is the RIAA and the recording industry in general doing the right thing by suing people, and especially by targeting college students and pressuring universities to spend time and resources to punish students who download? The business is what it is and it sometimes doesn't look like it will change, but I believe that everyone will realize, eventually, that file-sharing is necessary and can be used to benefit the artist and the label for promotional purposes. The CD is on its last legs and record sales, including online sales, are dismal. It is time to stop fighting the inevitable and learn to adapt to change and make change work for you.




Dispatch information taken from this article.