People don't buy music anymore. They burn it. Instead of paying $15 for the liner notes and jewel case that comes with your favorite bands' CDs, you can save the money and get the music straight from the Internet.
We know this and you know this, but the entertainment industries are still in denial. They continue to crackdown on illegal downloads and their crusade has reached us at ASU - at least those who live in the Barrett Honors College (BHC) dormitories.
The BHC announced last week that all students' computers connected to the ASU network will be constantly monitored. Any computer found uploading or downloading illegal files will be kicked off the network for an entire year.
As bad as this sounds, the BHC really can't be blamed for this maneuver. It's just playing the game that the entertainment industry is forcing it to play. Under the constant threat of litigation, the BHC has to keep up the appearance that it is taking reasonable measures to prevent illegal file sharing.
But, if the BHC is smart, this announcement is nothing more than a maneuver. It's a symbol that it isn't endorsing the inevitable illegal downloads that occur on its network, but it should leave it at that: a symbol.
You can't take the entertainment industries too seriously. Should we forget this, it's helpful to recall some of their most famous figures: Billy Idol, Andy Dick and, of course, Jacko. But it doesn't hurt for the BHC to issue this statement in order to deflect some scrutiny.
The BHC's announcement itself will decrease some of the "abuse" that takes place, but actually busting the students engaging in these illegal activities would be a mistake.
For one thing, strict enforcement of this policy will significantly hinder the BHC's ability to recruit incoming residents. With most dorms nationwide turning a blind eye to the activity, the honors housing will certainly see a drop in interest if this policy is carried out.
Second, if lawsuits are what they fear, the roommate of every student whose network access is disabled will have a good case against the school. Since most rooms only have one access port, kicking one student off the network also means kicking off his roommate. That's just a hundred lawsuits waiting to happen.
On the other hand, the entertainment industry has had no success in targeting the users of file-sharing programs. ASU has history on its side if a suit is brought. In the short history of these lawsuits, the providers have always been the real targets while users have been excused.
This policy is a great gesture, so long as it's not enforced. But should the BHC decide to enforce this, it will be them, not CDs, getting burned.
