Screaming Penguin - Source Does Matter

Hmmm, why is it that people dont really like the RIAA? Maybe this example of their attitude and tactics helps explain it?

It turns out that the RIAA has been at least indirectly involved in "poisoning" P2P networks with bogus files that are blank or static, etc, but have the correct name and length. This according to Matt Warne whom worked for the IFPI.

The international version of the RIAA is the IFPI. On the IFPI website it does not divulge what the letters in the acronym stand for (not anywhere that I could find) but it does state several interesting things: "IFPI is the organisation representing the international recording industry. It comprises a membership of 1500 record producers and distributors in 76 countries. It also has national groups in 46 countries." And, "IFPI is affiliated with the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), the organisation responsible for the world's largest music market."

In addition to poisoning networks the IFPI and RIAA have been engaged in a great deal of collection of information. Who downloads what, where, when. I find these tactics *very* underhanded and atrocious. As a consumer it makes me very angry to think that any company would treat their customers this way (and for the record I am not really a consumer or pirate of the RIAAs stuff, It just bothers me as a consumer in general).

The reason I say that is that even though people sharing files may indeed be violating copyrights in some instances that still does not give the RIAA the right spy on them and to sabotage computer networks that are ALSO used for legitimate purposes.

The RIAA and IFPI sure as hell might not LIKE P2P networks but to subvert them is going to far. Spying is another matter altogether, the Internet is a PUBLIC network so in my opinion there is nothing really private on it, but just the same I am sure that some of the people on P2P networks are legitimate consumers of the RIAAs products and the RIAA should respect that. They should consider the PR that this should earn for them.

Rather than the iron fisted approach they have taken I think they should employ tactics like making music more affordable, paying artists more, improving delivery methods. If people could hit the X records website and download Album Y for a REASONABLE price then they would not steal it, no need to. In addition if CDs were priced more reasonably the same would apply. If new releases were sold for 5 bucks then would that REALLY hurt record company revenues or would more pirates simply BUY the record? (Sure the profits per record would be less, but how many more would be sold?) These are just a few alternative ideas that strike me as obvious but I am not a record company insider so I admit I dont know if they are truly feasible. Still, all that said, sabotaging networks and spying is a *great* way to further alienate and LOSE customers rather than build a rapport with them.

For more on the RIAA and how they like to treat their own customers see the linked Register story.
  "I poisoned P2P networks for the RIAA" - whistleblower: TheRegister