"P2P United," an trade association of P2P software companies announced a code of conduct to encourage users to demonstrate responsibility in sharing files. See Peer-To-Peer Networks Unveil Code of Conduct. The group intends to demonstrate that a responsible industry can be built around peer-to-peer file sharing, without running afoul of copyright laws and recent accusations regarding pornography and "spyware," said Reuters. In July, the New York Post reported that Adam Eisgrau, of Washington, DC - based Flanagan Consulting, LLC, is representing P2P Online and has also represented the American Library Association and the Digital Future Coalition.
P2P United is also the group that offered to pay the $1,000 settlement of the 12-year old who was the first defendant to settle with RIAA. In a press release, P2P United identified its charter members as Free Peers, Inc.; Grokster, LTD.; Lime Wire, LLC; MetaMachine, Inc.; Piolet Networks, S.L.; and StreamCast Networks, Inc. P2P United's website lists its members as Bearshare, Blubster, Grokster, LTD.; Lime Wire, LLC; EDonkey, Grokster and Morpheus. Notable in its absence is Kazaa.(Read more ... )
Organizations such as the Secure Digital Music Initiative (SDMI) have attempted to develop open technology specifications that would allow sharing of digital music while preserving copyright. Its efforts have been on hiatus for over two years due to a lack of consensus.
Efforts to create a copyright-friendly file sharing environment have broken down in the past. One example is Bertlesmann's financial support of Napster during the period while it attempted to develop industry support for such a system. The effort eventually failed, and led to lawsuits filed against Bertlesmann by other industry leaders who alleged Bertlesmann was contributing to Napster's copyright violations. In June, the LA Times reported that Bertelsmann hoped to develop evidence about the reasons for the 2001 breakdown in negotiations for licenses to allow Napster to operate legally.
Will initiatives such as P2P United's, combined with the recent lawsuits, revive the move to open standards and codes of conduct that address all reasonable interests? It has already piqued the interest of some who have seen "unclean hands" on the file sharing software industry.
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Posted by dougsimpson at September 30, 2003 08:47 AM | TrackBack