Fighting piracy is dead

The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) are up against wall and smelling defeat. Last week’s showcase was probably the last desperate attempt to stay alive as both organizations want the United States’ government to do the following, according to Boing Boing, The EFF and Gizmodo:

• Inspect all computers, MP3 players and personal drives entering the country for illegally-obtained software, music and movies.
• Install spyware on every computer and detects and deletes infringing materials
• Censor all Internet connections to detect transfers of infringing material
• Force all countries to agree on the above terms
• Use federal agencies like the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI to enforce copyright laws

These terms probably won’t pass as they definitely infringe on privacy and maybe the first amendment of the Constitution but this shows that the MPAA and RIAA are despite to stay alive. Five days earlier, the Government Accountability Office released a study stating that it would be “difficult, if not impossible, to quantify the economy-wide impacts (of piracy that the MPAA and RIAA have stated).”

Numerous studies have been released stating the over-estimate of these figures from the MPAA and RIAA and both organizations have tried – with some success – to pass laws to hamper piracy and they have failed as piracy is still rampant.

If these organizations want to hamper piracy, they need to go to the source and off the head – China and the rest of Asia where piracy is rampant.

Both organizations should be aware that piracy will not go away and need to get ahead of illegal downloads; like moving home movie release dates earlier.

If they want to defeat piracy, creativity will win; fighting piracy will not.