Category: Editorial
The RIAA has just joined forces with non-profit agency i-Safe to create a program aimed at deterring intellectual property piracy among teenagers. As part of the agreement, i-Safe will help the RIAA create a "nationwide assembly experience on intellectual property" for both middle school and high school students.
Mitch Bainwol, chairman and CEO of the RIAA, pointed to a program that would engage students on intellectual property issues. "When students think critically about these issues – why we have intellectual property laws, how they should apply on the internet, what constitutes ethical behavior online – that’s a positive development for all," he said.
This is like letting the wolf teach the sheep how to graze.
iSafe is a nonprofit organization that teaches kids, teachers and parents how to be safe on the Internet, with topics such as awareness about predators, not to give out too much personal information, and the risks of getting on P2P networks. They even warn parents to be aware that files named "winnie the pooh" might actually be porn. As a parent, I find that useful (or at least not harmful) and it lets me in on things I may not automatically assume. As a non-profit organization, I also take some comfort in the fact that they want to educate, not persuade. Simply put, they are the presenting facts.
Working with the RIAA to talk about piracy gives only one side of a story, and an very opinionated one at that. The RIAA has a clear mission to stop piracy not just because it's wrong, but because it impacts them financially. It's proven over and over that sharing music actually benefits the artists because fans are able to sample more songs from more obscure bands. File sharing spreads people's music dollars around a little, and that contradicts the industry's need to have the mega stars in order to get greater return on their investment.
That message is not part of the brochure. Note that all the fear statements are about porn and personal privacy, but the call to action is to talk to your kids about "fairness to the artists", and to be aware of who gets sued (parents). Clearly, it's all about money.
Wouldn't it make more sense (and likely have more impact) to have an artist talk about why copyright exists and why artist write & produce music? An artist could also explain why exposure is important (sharing), and encourage youth to look for legal ways to share, yet respect the band by buying the songs that they like.
My final concern with this arrangement is the blatent omission of industry's dirty little secret: the record deal. The fact that many artist's with who sign deals actually see very little money is one of the primary justifications behind the popularity of P2P. Is the RIAA going to educate the budding young artists on how to negotiate a fair record deal? Of course not. Is the RIAA going to tell the kids that part of the money they pay for a digital song is still for "breakage" and "packaging". Of course not. To them, that's not the problem.
Teaching kids about respect and the legal implications of stealing are imporant lessons. And the RIAA is certainly entitled to make thier case. But the RIAA should not be trusted to do it impartially, especially to kids in schools. After all, their first reaction was to sue the offenders. Then to educate.
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