Copywrong

The concept of "copyright" fascinates me. I believe humanity as a whole benefits from free and fair exchange of ideas. In this age of the Internet, where I can communicate instantly with almost any other human being on this planet, it appears that our current laws of copyright are more of a hindrance to this sharing of ideas, than a benefit. Unfortunately, if you look at the history of "copyright", you'll see that the laws were just fine till the latter part of the 20th century. Then, lawmakers got involved at the prodding of big corporations and made a mess of things. Today's copyright laws exist mainly for the benefit of the Disney Corporation and Hollywood movie industry.

Let us take music for example. For millenia, musicians earned a living via either live performances or some nobleman's largesse. Then came the phonograph in the 1870s, and suddenly everything changed. The musician could just, effectively, make copies of himself and be in a 1000 places at once. But still, the live performance was still a better experience. Over time, with improvements in audio processing and underlying technologies, this distinction was erased. (Top audio equipment companies actually sample sound quality in various performance halls and try to duplicate the sound in their equipment). The music industry kept pushing the boundary, trying to cut down the cost of making copies so that they could, basically, make more money. But with the confluence of digital technologies (digital signal processing, the Internet, dirt-cheap storage, portable music devices), things went too far. Their goal of being able to make perfect, cheap copies was realized, but available to the masses. Oops.

The music industry is now trying to put the genie back in the bottle. Using various tactics (lawsuits, special laws guaranteeing a revenue stream, etc.) they're trying to prevent the sharing and tinkering that their customers are doing (aside: it's never a good idea to bring suits against your customers).

We all know that musicians need to make a living at what they're doing; otherwise, they won't be creating music. The difference is: I believe that the music industry should work with this fast-moving train of progress, instead of trying to stop it. For a 130 years they have reaped the benefit of "progress"; now to suddenly cry foul and go against it is ridiculous.

Luckily for us, in other parts of the world, people are not waiting for Hollywood. They are embracing the new technologies, and using them to their advantage. For example, in Brazil, the tecno-brega movement has taken off. The musicians actually give out free CDs of their work. These CDs serve as advertisements for them. In return, the people come to live performances of these musicians, where they earn a living.

Like most people, I also download music. But I make it a point to catch live performances of these artists whenever possible. I'm currently on an acid jazz / deep house kick. I've downloaded a lot of music by DJ Mark Farina . But I make it a point to go to his local performances. I think I've been to 5-6 of them in the last year, and hopefully I've supported him more than he otherwise would have received from his CD sales (minus the overheads). Of course, I've downloaded only the free stuff he puts out via his podcasts; but his sharing has encouraged me to actually attend his live shows, instead of just being a passive consumer.This model, in my humble opinion, works better: the artist gets supported, without infringing on the customer's rights.

Recently, I saw a fascinating documentary, called "Good copy, bad copy". You can see it on Google Video in its entirety; it's only an hour. Larry Lessig of Stanford has been a tireless crusader for reigning in the copyright abuses; any of his interviews or talks can be thought-provoking.

The bottom line is: the current set of copyright laws are a hindrance to creativity. They have been repeatedly extended since the 60s, to make sure that the Disney company does not lose its copyright over Mickey Mouse. The whole world of creative expression can't (and shouldn't) be held hostage to the wishes of 1 company, however successful it may be. It's time to end this lunacy.