The genie escapes from the bottle

The British government plans to combat illegal downloading of music titles from the internet in a collaborative effort with internet service providers (ISPs). Emily Bell, online chief editor of The Guardian takes a critical look at the control of internet activities: "While nobody should endorse illegal file-sharing, the issue of monitoring internet use is controversial. ... Can the free-content genie of the internet really be forced back into the bottle? The answer will depend on how hard companies want to try, how much they are prepared to spend on it and whether they are happy to risk audience extinction. ... The record industry, and the ISPs for that matter, might reflect on the fact that neither they nor governments and regulators have had the greatest effect on reversing the decline in paid-for music. ... If the campaign succeeds, then what? The free downloaders will not replace the illegal sharing with paid-for music. They might be less inclined to populate the festivals or buy the T-shirts. They might turn off their computers and learn an instrument instead or, more likely, find a different online activity to fill the void."

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