The music industry, as represented by BPI, are demanding that Google alter it’s search algorithm to combat music piracy. There are two sides to the argument – one supporting Google against a bloated and corporate entity that churns out carbon copy ‘musicians’ the other pointing out the the ones who lose out are the little guys, and that music piracy is stifling real artists and leading to the stagnation of contemporary entertainment.
There are political and socio economic factors at play; the recession has left young people worse off than their parents, and many simply cannot afford upwards of £15 for a CD. If you love music it can be difficult to relinquish your passion, and continue forking out, when you see the excess profits going to execs rather than artists. In addition, music licensing is a profitable business that excludes many smaller media centres and games developers from incorporating popular music; perhaps a positive side effect of this is that indie musicians have found their talents in demand to create original scores for video games and TV series.
Then again, some simply have a sense of entitlement to free music, because they do not realise the work that has gone into it. Anarchist and anti-establishment activists can believe in freedom of information, and that bands should perform and create for the love of it, not for monetary value; but unfortunately, as well as undermining conglomerates, downloading might well undermine a small record distro that does produce music for the love of it, but has to earn enough to buy the raw materials to actually press and distribute a CD.
Google have also acquired Youtube, which complicates matters; it is a vast repository for illegally uploaded music videos, and while record companies can order them to be taken down, it can be a lengthy and unrewarding process. However whatever the moral considerations, or where you fall in the debate, I very much doubt that Google will consent to alter their fundamental algorithm to suit one group in society. I don’t think they should, either. It would create a dangerous precedent and would be easily manipulated. it will be interesting to see how this plays out.
