File sharing, copying and kids

This following post has nothing to do with the environment and only a tenuous link to globalisation but it provides insights on many levels not least how academics are going to have to keep the plagiarism software up to date for future generations.

It is hard to fault the logic of Hannah (9 year old file sharer).

If I were working for a record company I would start looking for another job quick.

Hannah is either a genius or this is a ITV/BBC style fraud and she is really 38 years old. There is more to the interview (see link).

My italics [ed.]

H/T. 26econ.com

Inside the Mind of a 9 Year Old File-Sharer

TF. When did you first start using the internet to get music?

- My cousin showed me YouTube and then LimeWire and I was like “whoa cool!”

TF. What was cool about it?

- Because you can put anything in and it will come up and you don’t actually pay for it. Well you have to pay for the internet and LimeWire comes with the internet but you have to pay for that so LimeWire isn’t really free. [ed. That is damn cool]

TF. Ok…I see….Do you get music from anywhere else?

- My cousin gets it from BEBO. She copies it from other people’s pages and puts it on her own.

TF. Do you think it’s ok to copy the music?

- Yes it’s ok because she only does it to make her page better. [ed. A damn good reason]

TF. So you’re sure that it’s ok to copy it? What do you think about copying?

- I suppose it’s not ok to copy but people copied it off her site so she just copies theirs. It’s like, you’re copying my t-shirt so i’m copying you on shoes. [ed. Tit for tat - a winning strategy in game theory]

TF. Ok, so a bit like copying school work?….Hmm….ok, let’s talk about copying on the computer again. When you started using LimeWire, did anyone ever mention that if you did certain things you might be breaking some laws?

- Why would they put it [music] on the internet and invent mp3 players if it was against the law? [ed. Damn good point]

TF. Confusing isn’t it?….You mentioned you like Sean Kingstone - what if I told you that Sean Kingstone’s boss might send you a letter asking for money because you shared his album on LimeWire? What would you say to him?

- W.E! [whatever!] [ed. Genius]

TF. Come on, play along with me. What would you say if he did?

- I’d say “tooooo strict!” and anyway he can’t make me do anything. He’s not the boss of me, he’s the boss of Sean Kingstone. [ed. she will go far]

TF. What do you think might happen if you didn’t pay him?

- Nothing. I’m too young to be charged by the government so he can’t charge me. [

[ed. showing a remarkable knowledge of the US legal system at 9 years old and a classic punchline]]

TF. Would you carry on using LimeWire after he sent the letter?

- Yeah!

[ed. Please do not try this at home]

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