While I understand the frustration of artists and performers whose recorded works are taken and distributed without consent or compensation, the MPAA and RIAA seem to be doing as much for the rights of those artists as the media consumers -- that is to say, not much. In fact, there's every indication that these trade federations are doing a whole lot more harm than good, ensuring short-term profits for their members at the expense of both their own longevity and the U.S. legal system as it concerns intellectual works.

At Computerworld.

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