Hey RIAA, are you smarter than a 5th grader? 6:45 am / 29 October 2007 by Rob Maguire
The intricacies of intellectual property law baffle me, in their often convoluted and retrograde manner of dealing with digital information. I can’t even imagine how a young child might begin to understand the legal “rights” and “wrongs” of file sharing, and the possible repercussions of downloading the latest Shayne Ward album.
Fortunately there is no longer a need to guess, as TorrentFreak has posted an illuminating interview with “Hannah”, a nine-year-old girl, in which they talk about downloading music, lawsuits, and what pirates are (answer: “they have parrots”).
Here’s a choice excerpt:
TF: Do you think its legal or illegal to copy a CD or DVD?
Hannah: Some men right, they sell you a DVD at the market but when you get home it doesn’t play, that’s illegal.
TF: Why is it illegal?
Hannah: Duh!! Because they tell you it works and when you get it home it’s rubbish and jumps in the middle and its a waste of money!