Media Playing For Keeps with File Sharers
The U.S. recording industry pushed ahead towards prosecuting notable file downloaders by having subpoenas issued to their ISPs for gathering evidence, according to CNET News. Backed by provisions of the Millenium Copyright Act and recent U.S. Federal Court rulings, ISPs appear to have little choice in the matter. However, the recording industry is pushing yet further by having a friendly U.S. Representative introduce legislation that would make illegally uploading a single electronic file of copyrighted material onto any electronic network a felony, punishable by up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, according to Wired Magazine. While the legislation's passage is far from assured, it's clear that all of this is going to have a chilling effect on the attitudes of consumers towards these companies. At the same time, it opens up the door of what content companies are doing with corporate accounts: will similar actions be taken against "innocent" postings of copyrighted materials on an Intranet? In the rush to prosecution, the content industry may create as many problems as it solves.