Big production houses and other watchdogs fighting against Piracy are fighting a losing battle. They have introduced laws and punished networks like Napster, Kazaa and Pirate Bay. But whatever they do technology always seems to find a way. Whether it is P2P sharing or torrents, there is no way to stop piracy, because the very concept of piracy is alien to the Internet age. The word piracy is a legacy of the olden days – of CD discs and cassette tapes.
Piracy is alien to the internet. The Internet was designed for sharing, and people will share. When they download a song, most people don’t even associate that with piracy. Or when they share a song with a friend or even someone whom they don’t even know. Technically that is piracy, but not many Internet users will admit that they are indulging in an illegal activity.
Content producers and production houses will need to rethink and redesign their distribution, if they want to survive in the age of the internet. Trying to enforce old revenue and distribution models of a forgotten era, will not help them in today’s world.
A lot of companies are realizing this and they are trying to find new revenue models which will work. Streaming music services and ad supported online movie releases are examples of the new rules of engagement. However some traditional media companies refuse to acknowledge the changes in the marketplace. They insist on trying to flog a dead horse. Their answer to the new economy is to try to criminalize sharing and enforce an old set of rules. That will need to evolve or they will perish.