Online Music Piracy: What's Wrong, and How To Fix It

Jordan Koplowicz

UC Hastings Cyberlaw, Spring 2007

Preface

I recently came across a fantastic op-ed in the NY Times about the state of the music industry. As an early adopter of music-related internet technology, I've had front row seats as the RIAA has slowly crashed and burned . . . and lashed out at their own customers.

In law school I wrote a research paper on this very subject. I didn't get a very good grade for this paper, but the professor, Mary Wirth, also refused to give me any feedback so I don't really know why. I think that's a rather unprofessional thing for any professor to do, but in the words of the Indigo Girls, "I got my paper and I was free." At the time I got this grade, I was already concerned with more important things: the bar exam. (For the record, the class was entertaining but the instructor herself was at best irritating and at worst petty and unfair. I never did get any type of comments on my paper, even though I asked several times.)

Anyway, what with all the discussion on the topic, I thought I'd publish my paper online and let the masses judge its quality.