The current SOPA/Protect IP debate has many antecedents and will probably have many sequels. The underlying positions haven’t changed much, and probably won’t in the future. To illustrate, let’s play a game with this mystery quote:
Several of these analyses of alleged harm to the recording industry… were presented and debated during hearings on copyright… At each hearing, X presented the results of the most recent analysis done for the recording industry by his firm… [As] in his earlier testimonies, he stated that continued [copying] had grave implications for the viability of the recording industry. Noting that recording-industry releases were down by almost half since ****, and that industry employment had declined… X stated that further growth in [copying] would cause further decline in these industry indicators.
So who is X and what is the timeframe? Continue reading “Same Old Song”