BEDA #5 – Speaking my mind

April 5, 2009

I don’t know how many of you who know this, but here in Sweden the new IPRED law just came in order. I am not really sure what the law itself means, for I haven’t looked into it that much. I do know that it “allows copyright holders to obtain a court order forcing ISPs to provide the IP addresses identifying which computers have been sharing copyrighted material.”*

I am not entirely sure if this is the way to go, the best way to make people stop downloading.

But how many people are downloading today? How many people doesn’t think of the consequences when they press “download” on whatever program they have? How many people don’t actually realize they are breaking laws when they do this?

Did you know that 33% percent of the Swedish internet traffic fell the day the IPRED law was adopted here in Sweden. 33%. That is a third. Could really a third of the internet users in Sweden be downloading? Why is that so?

I understand it’s easy. I mean, it hardly seems like a crime when all you have to do is search for what you want, and then you get it. I understand. I can’t claim I have never downloaded anything. I wish I could, but there is really no reason to lie. But I stopped. I stopped when I started feeling uneasy about pressing that button. When I realized people’s jobs were at stake when I pressed that button. When I realized I was breaking the law, by pressing that shiny button.

Really people, don’t you see that people will stop making movies when you download this much.

My friend’s argument for not caring about the end of this industry said, “but then we have so many movies to watch anyway, so it won’t matter if they don’t make new ones. We’ll just watch the old ones”

Honestly. Please. Don’t do this. Don’t ruin the industries that we love so much.

Me, I am a reader. I read all I can get my hands of, and even though there are millions of great books our there I haven’t read, would it be horrible if no new ones were made.

EVERYBODY in the so called “civilized” world, listens to music, whether it’s on the radio, on MTV or on CD, we here music every day. What if people stop recording new songs, because there is simply no profit in it? What if you have to listen to the same bloody songs over, and over, and over and over again. I bet even your favorite songs becomes annoying after you’ve heard them a few thousand times.

What about movies, then? I think most of you have a favourite actor or actress. What if they decided to not make movies again? What if they decide to go into other avenues because they make less money than a traveling shoe-sales man? We might never again get those master-pieces, because there is simply no budget.

You download a movie and you told to your friend, and tells him about this GREAT movie you saw. The friend asks you, “Oh can I see it?” and the chain has begun. Before you know it, that innocent press of a button has ruined an industry.

Think about that the next time you finger on the keys, ready to search for your faouvrite song. Think about that when you search for that movie you saw a poster of. Think about that when the book you heard about is about to be loaded on your computer.

When you feel that movies and CD’s and book are just too expensive today, remember that every single person in this earth who is downloading has caused those high prices.

Honestly, when you think about it, is it odd that movies start lacking in quality when they no longer have money to do them!?

And now, I am getting angry.

Just remember. Just think about. Just be legal, for god’s sake.

Don’t press that shiny button.

Sarah
BEDA #5

* Quote from HERE