Ten years ago, Jack Valenti was at EDUCAUSE defending the rights of the Motion Picture Industry of America to step in and shut down peer-to-peer file sharing activity at universities. Yesterday many sites showed their unified opposition to new laws that are aimed at curtailing movie piracy and other violations of copyright via the Internet. Many of us noticed either the shut down of entire media sites,or sites that turned black–Google for one–as a sign of concern and disapproval of governmental oversight. Most of the sites in question are overseas. But bills like the Protect IP Act and Stop Online Piracy tread into some controversial territory. It just goes to show you that the media and entertainment business are still that: business.
For more, see “New, Old Media Battle Over Net Rules” in yesterday’s Wall Street Journal.