MPAA's New Tactic
I went out to the movies Saturday night. Before the film, in the barrage of advertisements that seems to get lengthier every time, I saw an ad by the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA).
The ad featured a stunt man describing how difficult his work is and showing car chases with cars flipping over. Then suddenly, this stunt man starts saying, "When you download a movie. That's wrong." And the ad starts talking about "piracy" and refers viewers to respectcopyrights.org.
This ad made me mad, but not because I don't respect copyrights. They are the law, and so I respect them. What frustrated me was it represented the continuation of the entertainment industry only seeing the issue from their limited and short-sighted perspective. They have a captive audience and then what they feed that audience is this distorted part of the complex story that is copyright policy today.
As I said, I respect copyrights, but here's some other things I respect that their ad ignores:
I respect
- the Constitution that says the exclusive rights of authors is to last for limited times while most current copyrights will still be in effect after your children are dead.
- the privacy of individuals not to have their personal information handed over by their ISPs based only on the word of the entertainment industry, rather than a judge-approved subpoena.
- the right of an individual to be considered innocent until proven guilty, rather than labeled a "pirate" who "steals" "property."
- the creative contributions of those who make derivative works, whose work is now frustrated by the extensive breadth and length of copyright.
- those who innovate new technologies that are now thwarted by a monopolistic entertainment industry.
- those who introduce intriguing new business plans for success in a digital era, rather than clinging hopelessly to outdated modes of business through endless litigation.
- the rights of a legal purchaser of a DVD or CD to enjoy that product on the platform of their choice, in the country of their choice, and in the form of their choice.
- the rights of fair use.
The MPAA's ad shows that they still don't get it. They simply want to push their narrow view on people, and refuse to respect these things that I, and so many other people, respect. Until they wake up, I expect them to face continuing problems and shrinking profits. Just don't believe them when they try to explain the cause of their troubles, because their problems don't come from downloaders. Their problems are of their own creation.
Update: Here is the stuntman ad, plus all the others.
Posted by Brian at December 22, 2003 09:35 AM
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