Neener neener

In yet another useless move by the music industry, deals are forming with certain internet service providers (ISPs). The RIAA figures to send notice to an ISP when it believes one their customers is downloading music illegally, who would then receive warnings, or a reduction in their connection speed and finally a cancellation of their internet access if they didn't cease and desist.

This will do nothing except drive those who share music to find (easily contrived) methods of disguising the act of sharing. Message to the RIAA and their ilk: Even if you found a way to completely eliminate file sharing on the internet (and that is not very likely), people would find an alternate way to share their collections. In fact, paranoid children, whom are convinced that lawsuits from the music industry are as inevitable as puberty, have already moved off the net and into the bedrooms, classrooms and family rooms of their friends, where they all show up with their portable hard drives and what not. What ya gonna do? Outlaw portable digital storage? Get real. In fact, I'm sure right now someone's working on an iPhone app that automatically trades music over the phone lines with other friends who own iPhones. If they weren't - they are now.....

Here's the CBC story on the trend. Be sure to read the comments too.