Danger Internet, Danger!

According to BoingBoing, an Australian court has ruled that it is illegal to link to copyrighted material. According to this ruling, if I was to link to copyrighted material, say on YouTube, I’ve committed a crime.

Did you see what I did just there? Yeah, I linked to copyrighted material on YouTube.

Fortunately, that ruling only applies to Australia, but I do have some fear that it does not bode well for the internets at large. After all, the net was built on links. Without links, there would be no Google.

Hopefully this stays in Australia, but with the increase in the power given to the “fake copyright lobby”, I’m afraid it won’t be.

The “fake copyright lobby” are those bulldogs who try to make copyright law more powerful than it is. The copyright laws that are currently on the books were intended to prevent one publisher (for example) from printing material that was owned by another. It was never intended to be used against the individuals.

In the parlance of the internet, linking to something is the equivalent of saying “this is cool”. Why can’t the “fake copyright lobby” see that linking to something isn’t a challenge to their copyright? Its a compliment. Its no different from (as I said above) saying ‘this is cool, you should check it out’.

Actually, I think the “fake copyright lobby” knows this. What’s happening is that its a money grab. Its an attempt by corporations to solidify a hold on information and content. To control, as much as possible, the information that’s “out there”. There’s a small group of consultants, who are convincing the corporations about the benefits of doing so (and these consultants are making a lot of money).

I have an idea. Its a little radical, but maybe it might work: stop treating consumers like potential theives. Encourage their enthusiasm about the work your company and your artists create. If they are enthusiastic, cultvate this enthusiasm. Don’t punish them for loving your work.

I know its crazy (according to the current conventional wisdom), but it just might work.