Jun 24

Validation of Deane's Two Undeniable Laws of File Sharing

A new approach to file-swapping: The article indicates that Big Media is finally coming around to conform to “Deane’s Two Undeniable Laws of File Sharing.” I came up with these laws in 1999, when Napster was huge. They are:

  1. Undeniable Law #1:
    Legally speaking, trading of copyrighted files is illegal. You can argue all you want about free speech blah-blah-blah, but the ways the laws are written, it’s illegal.

  2. Undeniable Law #2:
    There’s no way to stop it. You can’t put toothpaste back in a tube. And given that DRM will always fail, the bottom line is that the world of content distribution has simply changed and the prior laws governing intellectual property are doomed. Big Media needs to find a way to fit it into their business model, or the consumer will just go around them.

That said, the tone of this article indicates that Big Media may finally be realizing this:

In the last few months, major record labels have signed licensing deals with companies working to field file-swapping services that would block unauthorized files from being traded online.

by Deane   June 24, 2005 5:53 PM   |

Comments

by Martin,   June 25, 2005 4:33 AM  

How about this, to help re-shape it and tighten it up:

Undeniable Law #1: The trading of copyrighted files without permission is illegal.

Undeniable Law #2: The trading of copyrighted files without permission cannot be prevented.

Undeniable Law #3: Any attempt to enforce Law #1 will be confounded by Law #2.

Undeniable Law #4: Any attempt to circumvent Law #2 will be confounded by Law #1.

by chris r,   July 21, 2005 12:18 PM  

i think that you should be able to share files, because it just like letting your buddy borrow your CD so that he can record it or like taping something of the television , you pay a monthly bill so you should be able to record and share it . It's all about the money anymore instead of the pure enjoyment of things. I feel if the person gets in trouble than the company swapping the files should be held accountable too. CDs and movies cost too much these days anyway so we should be able to share

by Deane,   July 21, 2005 2:40 PM  

it just like letting your buddy borrow your CD so that he can record it or like taping something of the television , you pay a monthly bill so you should be able to record and share it

While I appreciate your generosity, don't go near a courtroom. It is this exact thing that Big Media wants to stop. You are the poster child for all their problems, in their mind.

Thank God you didn't provide your last name, or black helicopters would be circling overhead right now.

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