Intellectual Property is the other ‘IP’ – some would say a threatened species – in an Internet Protocol world.
An article in the Toronto Star suggests that file sharing ‘saved the music industry.’ At the same time, a University of Toronto panel expresses concern about Canada facing an Intellectual Property shortfall due to internet piracy.
Are these contradictory conclusions? Not really. The Toronto Star story correctly identifies the oriental bazaar nature of the internet, with a seemingly infinite array of choices available to the consumer. The U of T panel correctly identifies the problems associated with theft of other people’s property.
Unfortunately, the Star’s writer doesn’t distinguish between the availability of goods in the internet enabled marketplace and shoplifting the digital merchandise. Perhaps if the punishment was as severe as that meted out in the bazaars, there would be more respect for intellectual property owners.