Music Swappers Ignore Threats, Plan For Newer File Sharing Systems

Predictions

from the anonymity-is-the-name-of-the-game dept

Well, it shouldn’t surprise many people to find out that most file sharers ignored the RIAA’s threats and kept right on file sharing. There were some initial reports that there were fewer than usual people on Kazaa, but apparently there are regular fluctuations on the service, and later in the day there were apparently more than the usual number of people sharing files. Clearly, most file traders think the risks of the RIAA going after them, specifically, is tiny compared to the enjoyment or utility they get from listening to musical acts they enjoy or being able to share their own files with others. In the meantime, all the RIAA’s actions are going to do is help push forward a new generation of file sharing apps that make the end users much more anonymous. When that happens, the music industry will have completely lost out on the ability to embrace the technology and actually make some money off of file sharing. Meanwhile, Shawn Fanning is also back at work on a new file sharing system. Even though he recently took a job with Roxio to work on their “new” Napster, he’s also pitching music execs on a completely new file swapping network that (he claims) would completely block out non-approved songs. This, of course, would make the system useless, and people wouldn’t bother using it, but it might make record execs happy.