Whilst it’s easy to label those who violate copyright and illegally download content as ‘criminals’, it’s just as easy to argue not enough is being done to curb behaviour, change mentality and offer an alternative, legal source as a solution.
This is the as of yet unmet responsibility of the owners of the content being released (and subsequently the distributors). Most recently, the IP Awareness Foundation (IPAF) has taken a step in the right direction in encouraging people to continue to download legally by creating a ‘Thankyou’ campaign. Rather than demonize the pirates, the damage they do to distributors is implied by excluding them altogether and rewarding those who buy content legally. iTunes is another example of a reward- focused service, giving customers extra content and a coherent browsing experience and strong customer support.
Australia is infamous for being the owner of some of the highest copyright infringement through illegal downloading in the world. The laissez-faire attitude by which the government approaches the issue is one of the many reasons it’s still an active issue in society. Australia has only recently ramped up its regulation after the Megaupload issue that hit close to home, when its owner Kim ‘Dotcom’ Schmitz was arrested in New Zealand. Just like in the US, authorities were attempting to seize the people who create access to the content. However the US government actually tracks IP addresses and warns peer-to-peer users to seize their illegal activity, a step further in curbing every participant in copyright infringement. A refreshing means of curbing this behaviour is Australian television networks, such as Channel Ten and Foxtel, adopting a notion of ‘Fastracking’ content from overseas so that it can air within even a few hours of airing overseas. iView by ABC is another means of catering for modern society without much compromise. Often Australians pirate content because, and rightly so, in an age of rapid technology, they believe they should access international content as soon as the rest of the world does. In a globalised society, that paradox between technology and access to content is what mitigates the attitudes society has towards pirating – the majority of Australians don’t pirate for profit, they pirate because the content they want access to isn’t there.
One of the more interesting arguments regarding content control comes from consumers who believe they have the right to rate content’s worth. SoundCloud and a number of artists have taken on the initiative to release music for free and then offer consumers the ability to donate or pay what they think the think the media is worth. The idea is for individuals to feel they are making a noticeable difference, a choice, to finance an artist’s career, and to let moral conscience speak for itself if they don’t. Whilst this model is open for abuse, it is a worthy alternative to illegal downloading. One could even say it dampens the appeal of the illegality of pirating content, and more closely connects the artist with their consumer base. The notion of stealing feels much more direct in these cases. Giving the user greater authority over their buying power is integral to keeping a loyal, legal consumer.
To very loosely quote The Buggles, just as video killed the radio star, one can claim that the internet killed….well everything. But its the producers, publishers and distributors that can only look at themselves and assess how to better utilize such a tool rather than let it ruin their respective industries. The internet is a perfect model for individuals to demonstrate talent, to allow users to build relationships with brands, artists, authors and any number of producers of licensed content. It emphasises a neo-liberal, globalised society whereby the consumer has unlimited buying power and influence over the content they consume. Reward your legal consumers with intuitive, easy and affordable means of accessing content and I can guarantee there will be a whole new set of network flows that utilizes the loyalty and respect between both the consumer and the content producer. Ending piracy is about redirection and options, not punishment and inaccessibility – it’s not just the consumers fault.
As noted by ABC Managing Director Mark Scott in a talk at the University of Melbourne: “…law enforcement will at best be only a partial solution to the piracy problem because it fails to address the underlying reason for piracy, which is consumer dissatisfaction with what’s on offer now.”
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