Digital Networks and Communications

Peer-to-Peer and the music industry.

chloebec — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 07:28:17 +0000

In the past the music industry turned a blind eye to bootlegging of bands live shows. It was viewed it in a more positive light and proved to be in favour of the artist as it added to the broadcasting their music for more ears to be heard.

In today’s times, music distribution via peer-to-peer networking is seen in a very negative light and as a way that disadvantages bands and record companies greatly. It challenges the monopoly power of major record labels, whose ongoing concentration stands in stark contrast to a free flow of information that threatens to sweep them aside. Legal moves come from music companies who object to material they seek to sell being shared globally (David, 2009, p.2).

Nevertheless, bands are partaking in an online ‘free’ distribution of their music. Websites like MySpace, purevolume.com, triplejunearthed.com and last.fm provide space for bands and artists to upload their music for people to hear (and in some cases download) freely.

Example: http://www.triplejunearthed.com/TinCanRadio

Even some major bands are taking part in free distribution. In 2007 English alternative band Radiohead released their album ‘In Rainbows’ online, telling listeners it was up to them how much they paid. In 2008 American mash-up dj Girl Talk released his album ‘Feed the Animals’ in a similar fashion to Radiohead. He stated his reason for doing this as it “makes it easier for people to get their hands on the music, which is my number one priority.” (Metrowise, 2011).

It is a well known fact that bands do not make much money from physical media sales, their chances of making money lie in their live performances (ticket and merchandise); so it is understandable that bands will take part in the online revolution of music sharing. Moreover it makes sense that record companies will become apoplectic and battle peer to peer sharing as they are the ones benefiting from physical media sales.

Sources:

David, M 2009, Peer to Peer and the Music Industry: the Criminalization of Sharing, Sage Publications Ltd.

Metrowise 2011, Girl Talk Feed the Animals, viewed 11 October,

Peer-to-peer and Intellectual Property law.

chloebec — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 12:22:34 +0000

The downloading of torrent files has become a critical debate as it challenges the Intellectual Property (IP) laws set in place in today’s digital world. According to the Australian Government, IP is the “results from the application of someone’s mind or intellect to create something new or original. IP can exist in various forms; it can be an invention, a brand name, a book, film, trade secret or artistic design.” (Australian Government, 2011)

The IP law includes copyrights, trademarks, patents and design. The Australian Government (2011) states that once you own an IP right, you are responsible for monitoring the way it is used and protecting it against infringement.

However, if you look to the past, the compact cassette tape, a device used for audio storage, was introduced in 1962.

With the use of a tape deck and a turntable, individuals could record a copy of their vinyl record onto tape to distribute amongst friends; the same could be done with a videocassette to record a movie or TV show off the television and distribute for viewing by others. This copying however seems to be less noticed by law as it is externally done and there is no physical way to track people who carry out the procedure.

Nowadays, instead of vinyl records, compact discs are used, instead of tape decks, computer burners.

Therefore, if back in the 60’s you could copy a vinyl for 10 of your mates (which you initially purchased legally) and never be contended by law, how is it different to burning a CD (also purchased legally) to your computer and uploading to the internet for 10 of your mates to download and copy via peer-to-peer file sharing? The initial purpose of the Internet was to share information easily, which is exactly what peer-to-peer file sharing does. Yet the IP laws in place today fight this.

Sources:

Australian Government 2011, Understanding Intellectual Property, viewed 8 October, <http://www.ipaustralia.gov.au/understanding-intellectual-property/what-is-ip/>

Australian Government 2011, Ownership of IP, viewed 8 October, <http://www.ipaustralia.gov.au/understanding-intellectual-property/ownership-of-ip/>

Picture: http://marvellousoffers.com/where-can-i-bring-a-cassette-tape-to-have-the-music-extracted-and-converted-to-cd/

BitTorrents.

chloebec — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 11:17:59 +0000

BitTorrent is a protocol used for circulation of information via peer-to-peer interaction over the Internet. The BitTorrent protocol was created by Bram Cohen in 2001. It’s making introduced two key concepts; First, rather than providing a search protocol itself, it was designed to integrate seamlessly with the Web and made files (torrents) available via Web pages, which could be searched for using standard Web search tools. Second, it enabled so-called file swarming; that is, once a peer starts downloading that file, it also makes whatever portion of the file that is downloaded immediately available for sharing (Harrison and Taylor, 2009, p.227).

Torrents can be viewd as easy access to ‘free’ information files. They allow users to download files to the maximum of their download capability of their broadband connection by enabling simultaneous downloads of pieces of the same file from multiple users (Harrison and Taylor, 2009, p. 227).

Torrent files are generally downloaded via a client (program), such as Vuze, and can be found within the clients own search engine or by using an Internet search engine such as Google. Some torrent sites are:

- demonoid.de

- btjunkie.org

- thepiratebay.org

An example of Google searching: http://www.google.com.au/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=bring+me+the+horizon+torrent&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&redir_esc=&ei=McySTqGGCoHBiQeW5pyADg

It is impossible to identify a single source, the original source, of the torrent file as fragments are downloaded from multiple users (servers) across the Internet. Henceforth every individual ‘participating’ in downloading a torrent file becomes a user; as a result of the fact that as soon as you download a piece of a file you are also uploading it back onto the internet, someone can start downloading that same file from you and your computer becomes one of many servers.

Source:

Harrison, A & Taylor, I, J 2009, From P2P and Grids to Services on the Web: Evolving Distributed Communities, 2nd edn, Springer.

Social networks & peer-to-peer relationships.

chloebec — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 09:31:45 +0000

Humans strive for social interaction and the Internet allows for effortless, limitless communication and interaction. McDonnel (2011) states that “Social engagement … is certainly being reshaped as the boundaries between the offline and online world increasingly overlap; immersion in the digital environment means that more and more people are always available and connected – always ‘on’”.

Virtual communities are new and always forming because the Internet permits minimal acknowledgment of time and space. Proximity is no longer accounted for as the many-to-many networks enables users to be logged on at the same time and interact, regardless of geographical location. Time is no longer an issue and becomes synchronised, despite natural time zones. You can easily argue (from Australia) on a forum with a French person, and words can pass via the Internet as fast as they could physically come out of your mouth.

So how is social networks connect with peer-to-peer relationships? The Internet can provide the making for what is known as ‘weak ties’, for example arguing on a forum or ‘liking/commenting’ on the same page on facebook as other people from around the globe. Peer-to-peer relationships are based purely on these weak ties. You don’t know who exactly you are downloading your desired file from, but by doing so you are communicating with them, i.e. there is a ‘tie’ holding you both together. Just as there is a ‘tie’ holding you to that kid who thinks he knows more underground post-punk bands that you on a forum. When clearly, you know more.

Source:

McDonnell, J 2011, ‘Only connect: social relations in an online world’, Media Development, 58, 1, pp. 3-7, Communication & Mass Media Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 8 October 2011.

What is peer-to-peer?

chloebec — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 07:39:16 +0000

As my Mac dictionary defines, peer-to-peer is “denoting computer networks in which each computer can act as a server for the others, allowing shared access to files and peripherals without the need for a central server.” Or as my Dad describes it, “it’s a way to download heaps of stuff from people around the world.”

Peer-to-peer enables files to be shared amongst individuals via their computers. The types of files can range from mp3, jpg, pdf, mp4, mkv, avi, cbr, rar to zip files; and contain information from films, to books, audio books, music, games and other programs.

This is possible via the digital network in which we are (almost) all plugged into: the Internet. A network using ‘many-to-many’ connections, it enables our computers to easily communicate with one-another. As a comparison, many-to-many networks allow information to take multiple pathways in order to arrive at the intended destination. Unlike one-to-many networks, in which it must follow the same path, it can change its path if a breakdown in the network occurs.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (2011), as of 2008-09 72% of Australian households had access to the Internet.

That’s approximately 16 million people within Australia who have access to and can download and upload files online. A number that will continue to grow as Australia proceeds to introduce the National Broadband Network, an “open access high-speed broadband network that will deliver high-speed broadband to all Australians.” You can read more about the NBN here:

http://www.nbn.gov.au/about-the-nbn/what-is-the-nbn/

Sources:

Australian Bureau of Statistics 2011, Household Use of Information Technology, Australia, 2008-09, viewed 7 October, <http://www.abs.gov.au/Ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/8146.0>

Australian Bureau of Statistics 2011, Population Clock, viewed 7 October, <http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs%40.nsf/94713ad445ff1425ca25682000192af2/1647509ef7e25faaca2568a900154b63?OpenDocument>