IPRED

Time for a non comical piece once more. If you're not interested, normal service will be resumed shortly.

The Swedish government is currently discussing a law that would, basically, allow private companies to gain access to IP-adresses. The thought being that this would prevent illegal downloading. Now, I am all for intellectual property rights, but I must say I feel this isn't the best way to protect them.

First and foremost, it is very easy for someone with a bit of savoir faire to mask IP-adresses. The consequences thereof are that, to a large extent, chances are the new law will do nothing but essentially bring down Betty Teenager who downloads a few tunes a month for her cellphone rather than those who actually illegaly download on a broad scale.

Secondly, how does the government intend to deal with burden of proof? How are you to prove that the owner of the IP-adress, or the owner of the computer itself for that matter, is actually the one doing the illegal downloading? A strict responsibility for your IP-adress? That could quite well mean opening a veritable Pandora's Box of internet piracy.

Finally, examples from other countries show that, in essence, the law has done little more than legalize blackmailing. Is that really the right way to go? I seriously doubt it.

No, I think all parties, be it consumers or the music industry itself, need to think harder. This, I fear, will not be a viable solution.

/JP