In the
1990's, the software industry launched a massive consumer education effort
to curb software piracy utilizing the tagline "Don't Copy That Floppy."
Convergence between code and content has renewed the need to educate users
and change their perceptions about copyright and online information. In the
year 2000, it is "Don't Copy That Copy."
Piracy on the Internet
Recently, unprecedented attention has been paid to the piracy of music via
the Internet. Some of the music piracy is centralized, making the process
somewhat trackable and providing the music industry with an easily
recognized antagonist, e.g., MP3.com. Some of the music piracy is
decentralized, however, through file sharing software, making accountability
more difficult, e.g., Napster and Gnutella. The music industry's litigation
has dominated headlines, raising awareness worldwide. Information providers
have the opportunity to ride online music's tide to educate their user base.
The direct access provided to users by the Internet has created severe
problems for information companies. First, information can be cut, pasted
and disseminated via email in an instant.
Copying Cripples the Revenue Streams
If a revenue stream depends on eyeballs and advertising, only the sender
will visit the site and the revenue stream disappears. Similarly, if a
revenue stream depends on subscriptions, one subscription could serve an
entire company through illegal copying. Information can also be duplicated
in its entirety and posted on another Web site. In this instance, the
eyeballs and the revenue stream are cut and pasted directly into another's
business model. While the latter example highlights the most egregious type
of copying, the former -- knowing or unknowing copying and distribution by
the average end-user -- is a far greater threat to information providers.
Creating
Awareness about Copying
Taking a cue from the music industry, the information industry could tap
into its personalities, like music's Lars Ulrich of Metallica, and others
capable of instantly raising awareness and starting a public discourse on
the ethical and financial aspects of piracy.
Consumers generally assume that they can pass intellectual property
accessed online along to others and re-use it in any way they wish. Today,
the publishing industry as a whole is beginning to acknowledge that, for
the most part, they have not done enough in educating information
consumers on what copyright is, why it's important, and that the rules of
the print world apply on 'Planet Net' as well. If people are not educated
about the rules of the road for using content, authors' and publishers'
rights will continue to be abused, and their online assets and business
opportunities imperiled.
Educating End users
Companies that invest heavily in high-value information face a necessary
choice. They must direct substantial resources to support a unified message
that will educate end-users about copyright infringement, and select
appropriate technologies to help ensure end-user complicity with the law.
The
Works
"Content is the King, and Eyeball is the King Maker"
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