The RIAA Succeeds Where the Cypherpunks Failed

Clay Shirky:The RIAA Succeeds Where the Cypherpunks Failed:

In response to the RIAA’s suits, users who want to share music files
are adopting tools like WINW and BadBlue, that
allow them to create encrypted spaces where they can share files and
converse with one another. As a result, all their communications in
these spaces, even messages with no more commercial content than
“BRITN3Y SUX!!!1!” are hidden from prying eyes. This is not because
such messages are sensitive, but rather because once a user starts
encrypting messages and files, it’s often easier to encrypt everything
than to pick and choose. Note that the broadening adoption of
encryption is not because users have become libertarians, but because
they have become criminals; to a first approximation, every PC owner
under the age of 35 is now a felon.

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