The recording industry continues its relentless quest to be the embodiment of evil in modern times. The latest announcements are aimed at all of us – the folks who would be its customers in less nasty times.
First, the recording industry is planting fake files on file sharing networks – files with the names of popular songs, but with empty content or commercials (or perhaps viruses, but no corporate suit will ever admit to such a thing.) One source reports that a company named OVERPEER – under contract to Interscope and Universal Music – is the source of a large number of files with short sections of each song repeated over and over to pad out the file so it’s the approximate size of the original.
Second, the industry is unhappy that we’re not more afraid of them, so they let it slip that they’re considering suing individual users of the file sharing networks. That’s right, the new slogan is – use Kazaa, go to jail! The conventional wisdom has been that the industry would never go after individuals – too difficult, too great a blow to their image. Yet that’s the promise from the folks who control the music, who apparently imagine that this will tempt you into buying lots of CDs. Sure does make me want to go to the store, you betcha!
