Free Culture
I came across FreeCulture.org today and wanted to write a few thoughts about "the Movement". Check out their manifesto here.
From a philosophical stand point I agree whole heartedly. Record companies and movie studios should not limit the chances for aspiring artists to publish. Hardware should not enable companies to charge us over and over again to use data that we own. Copyright must be changed soon.
However, we are in the midst of a big shift in the way we do things on the net at the moment. Social media are changing the way that we produce and distribute content, and the law, business models and mainstream beliefs are catching up to this shift. People on the left love to talk about the "democratization" that is being caused by the net, and again I totally agree and share their enthusiasm.
But we live in a huge system. An economic system, a political system, a natural system. Big shifts in perspective take time to cultivate and new law and business models need to be discussed and developed to make the big shift that the Free Culture manifesto calls for. Some businesses are getting it, some laws are changing to reflect the new technological democracy. Other companies are introducing draconian measures to curtail the "user" and some government are creating law that will set us back years.
To change hearts and minds of the people on the other side though, is a really different matter. If you worked for a company in a very mature market and that has established suppliers, effective and profitable distribution channels and strong relationships with industry partners, would you be all psyched to go out and change all that based on the fad of the day? I'm playing devils advocate here, but these companies have a great deal at stake.
I have faith that the market will sort this out. One or two of the big companies will get it, and will make a pile of money getting it. Once there are a few good examples of ethical business models that will make money, other markets will follow.
What really scares me is the law makers; these people that we entrust to turn our values and beliefs into laws and legislation that actually reflect the will of the people. These people deal in stakeholders. They listen to the most vocal lobbyists/ activists/ interested group and make decisions for the greater good. The problem is that "the greater good" today, will not reflect the greater good tomorrow. As our boomer predecessors move into retirement homes, things will change. Attitudes will change. And we will have to change the law, again.
I am so thoroughly convinced that as gen x/y/z come of age, the real information democracy will be called for, demanded even. You can hear it already.
In the end I want my kids to live a world that values content more than money. I want them to be able to participate and create stuff without breaking any laws. I'm scared and excited at the same time.