The recording and motion picture industries' major trade groups announced that they have become corporate members of Internet2, the ultra high-speed private Internet used by the research and higher education community. The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) and Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) will "collaborate with the Internet2 community to consider innovative content distribution and digital rights management technologies, and to study emerging trends on high-performance networks to enable future business models." The groups have previously criticized Internet2, which is available at over 200 universities, for its allowance of lightning quick file-sharing by university students and others on the network via a program called i2hub. The RIAA has also taken the step of suing 33 Internet2 file-swappers for copyright infringement. "The movie industry is committed to working with the technology sector to find innovative new ways to deliver entertainment to consumers. The MPAA views this partnership with Internet2 as an important opportunity for collaboration as we seek to link new delivery models with content protection," said MPAA president Dan Glickman.
Try to imagine this scenario, that General Motors and Ford were given exclusive franchises to build America's interstate highway system, and also all the highways that connect local communities. Now imagine that, based upon a financial crisis, these troubled companies decided to convert all "their" local arteries into toll-roads -- they then use incremental toll fees to severely limit all travel to and from small businesses. Why? This handicapping process reduced the need to invest in building better new roads, or repairing the dilapidated ones. But, wouldn't that short-sighted decision have a detrimental impact on the overall national economy? It's a moot point -- pure fantasy -- you say. The U.S. political leadership would never knowingly risk the nation's social and economic future on the financial viability of a restrictive duopoly. Or, would they? The 21st century Global Networked Economy travels across essential broadband infrastructure. The forced intro...