Criteria D

Privately owned telecommunication industries could develop and install programs that would censor illegal downloading sites and make them inaccessible to internet users. When a user tries to access the website, they will be shown a page that says the site they are seeking is not available. No one would be able to install programs such as Napster or Limewire. The problem with this concept would be management and compliance. Once certain addresses are blocked new ones would appear. In order for it to work, it would require constant monitoring and updating. Also, it would only work if all the internet service providers co-operated together.

Another possible solution would be working through the government. Actual copyrights would be changed and downloading would actually be legal but heavily monitored. Yearly payments would be made to the music industry based on the number of downloads that have occurred and the payments would be channeled through the government. Money would be generated through increased cost of internet service and this added “tax” would be set aside to be divided among the entertainment industry companies who have had music downloaded. The problem with this solution is that it adds another level of government involvement in the everyday life of citizens. It also could become very cumbersome and difficult to manage because of the huge scope of the project that would have to be taken in order for it to be effective.