Big Music gets at UK kids
p2pnet.net News:- In America, it’s now routine for the major studios and the Big Four record label cartel to use schools to get at young people at both ends of the educational age spectrum.
That’s because the entertainment industry has adopted the spyware and adware principle used by many software applications: it’s installed whether users want it or not, and once there, it’s practically impossible to remove.
Some US universities, with Penn State to the fore, have become little more than entertainment industry marketing, sales and PR units, and much younger children also receive the unrequested and unremoveable benefits of Hollywood and music cartel ‘educational’ programs.
These aren’t opt-in. Parents aren’t consulted individually, told about the loathsome and entirely self-serving ‘ecucational’ schemes and then asked if they want their children exposed to them. They get the Hollywood propaganda, like it or not.
Now, using UK songwriter Guy Chambers as their foil, the labels are getting British teaches to introduce an ‘education pack’ in secondary schools.
Will it teach children about the history of music in the UK, provide biographies of famous British composers, discuss instruments, give lessons on how to write a song?
No a bit of it. It centers on ‘Music piracy’ and copyright issues.
“The lessons – aimed at 11 to 14-year-olds – will introduce them to copyright infringement, including downloading from the internet and the illegal copying of CDs,” says the BBC, going on:
“Songwriter Guy Chambers …has thrown his support behind the scheme. He said as well as educating children about music piracy, it would also protect young people planning a career in the music industry from ‘unscrupulous’ individuals,” , says the BBC.
Unscrupulous individuals. Hmmm.
The ‘education pack’ will also impart other information that’s essential for children in their formative years, for example, “the importance of royalties”.
===================
See:-
routine – Get ‘em while they’re young, p2pnet, November 17, 2004
their foil – Pupils to get anti-piracy lessons, BBCÂ News Online, November 30, 2004
November 30th, 2004 at 5:22 pm
They’re Unscrupulous themselves to oughtta treat everyone like criminals and suing them, yet UK cd sales hit an alltime high in history.
November 30th, 2004 at 10:04 pm
What children really need is to be educated about the disreputable business known as the record industry.
Some possible topics: How artists are routinely ripped off. How politicians are bribed. How the ‘payola’ racket works. How young children are psychologically manipulated by targeted advertising.
This is an industry that ranks at the bottom along with pornography and tobacco. If people only knew half of what really goes on behind the scenes they would be far less enthusiastic about the music business.
December 1st, 2004 at 2:53 pm
i have 2 kids (i am 32) and have been downloading since i was 26 ish , when they grow up i will teach them about how to download properly and the best ways to download films – so sod ther music industry and their fascist attitudes – share share share
December 1st, 2004 at 10:24 pm
It’s a very good idea to teach your children how to share files safely. Far too many parents are only made aware of their youngsters filesharing when they get hit with a lawsuit – and the fact is that taking just a few simple steps (like disabling listing of shared files or using anything else other than Kazaa) virtually eliminates the already-small risk of getting nailed for sharing files.