File-sharing, Piracy, and Freeloading

For those still pondering the differences between anarchy and theft, here's a nicely written column on the ethics of music sharing from Tiny Mix Tapes.

Excerpt:

So while computer networks are functionally means of sharing and copying information, when we enter a torrent search for Ducktails (the artist, not the show), we’re not doing either one of those things in cultural reality. We’re ostensibly accessing an online store where the complete history of recorded music is offered for free. Most of the time, the content is not being offered with permission from the artist or producer. It is effectivelystealing. Cory Doctorow or the EFF can hide behind technicalities and inconsistencies of copyright law (of which there are many) and claim that universal guilt somehow translates to universal innocence and a justified free-for-all, but that does not excuse ignoring basic responsibility for one’s actions. If people want to steal, that’s their choice. At least own up to what’s really going on. The term “file sharing” further muddies an already murky debate.

Full text:

Revisiting “The Myth Of DIY” and the Tragic Logic of Freeloading by Chris Ruen