Rupert Murdoch’s Son: P2P Like “Stealing Pringles or a Handbag”

James Murdoch says there is no “no difference” between digital and physical piracy, that “there should be the same level of property rights whether it’s a house or a movie,” while at the same event famed Hollywood talent agent Ari Emmanuel says the industry is currently talking to Pres Obama about “three-strikes” legislation.

The recent Abu Dhabi Media Summit was every bit as entertaining as one would expect it to be when entertainment industry heavyweights get together and plan strategies for a new and improved “get tough” approach to piracy.

First up was James Murdoch, son of media mogul Rupert Murdoch, and chairman and chief executive of News Corporation’s European and Asian operations. He compared online piracy to “stealing (a can of) Pringles or a handbag,” arguing that there is “no difference” between digital and physical piracy.

“There should be the same level of property rights whether it’s a house or a movie,” he added.

Murdoch is apparently unaware that there is a tremendous difference between physical and digital piracy. The latter doesn’t rob people of irreplaceable property only possible profits. Copyright holders are still free to sell digital property as many times as they wish or can. In fact, numerous well-respected studies have found that illegal file-sharing actually increases their ability to do so!

But, for Murdoch this doesn’t seem to matter. He wants law enforcement to target illegal file-sharers as they would ordinary thieves.

“There should be the same level of sanctity as there is around property. Content is no different. They’re not crazy kids,” he continues. “No. Punish them.”

Nevermind the fact that there’s really no way to fight digital piracy short of DPI. A better alternative is to simply offer the sort of on-demand content delivery systems that consumers crave and cause many to turn to P2P in the first place.

People in Australia, for example, don’t want to wait an extra year to watch episodes of “Lost” or “Family Guy.” They want to be able to tune in when people in the US can. P2P has democratized content delivery in the absence of legal alternatives. Ignoring this fact and branding what are ostensibly loyal viewers or fans as thieves instead only makes the problem worse.

Also joining Murdoch at the event was Ari Emanuel, famed Hollywood talent agent and pruported model for the Ari Gold character on the hit HBO-series “Entourage.” He followed by disclosing just what steps the industry planned to take in its fight against online piracy.

“We are in the midst of talking to the president and some attorney generals and [we are] trying to implement a three strikes and you’re out rule,” he said.

He alluded to a possible “fight with ISPs” over the matter, but apparently made no mention of the probable backlash by the American people.

Unlike France or South Korea where the people seemed all too wiling to give the govt power to filter the Internet and disconnect users suspected of illegal file-sharing, the people of the US are going to be particularly leery of giving the govt control of the Internet, especially when it’s disclosed it’s only being done to benefit deep-pocketed entertainment industry heavyweights.

Even though then President-Elect Obama promised to “protect the openness of the Internet,” having a VP who’s been a longtime entertainment industry advocate, and is a co-founder of the Congressional International Anti-Piracy Caucus, may prove too much to resist in the end.

Stay tuned.

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