Making P2P a Capitalist Tool

This month the U.S. Supreme Court is expected to decide MGM vs. Grokster, the case that could determine whether or not a peer-to-peer (P2P) company can be held liable for illegal activity on its network. The decision is key, but the future is also being shaped by the marketplace.

The digitization of content and the ability to share it quickly and easily has shaken Hollywood up in a big way. The music industry, in particular, seemed to have been taken completely off guard, as free services such as Napster, Kazaa , and Grokster allowed for the easy and illegal sharing of content. But instead of embracing the digital revolution and using it for capitalist purposes, the music industry's instinct was to strike back.

Source: Wired News