It Has Been a Bad Week For Internet Copyright Infringers

First, TV-Links went down. Then the private Bittorrent tracker, OiNK, went down. Now there is word that other sites are due to be raided as well. Needless to say, there are a lot of unhappy nerds out there right now.

I think all of this is fascinating. I was a frequent user of TV-Links and bittorrent sites over the past few years; often I used them to watch reruns of old shows or give a new show a try. However, as iTunes began offering a wider selection and ABC and NBC rolled out their own free video platforms, I found myself gravitating towards these options. They are simply faster and more reliable than TV-Links or the file-sharing sites.

Even now, CBS and Fox offer no method for enjoying their products freely and legally on the net. Why not? It is 2007, right?

My message to the entertainment industry: Stop prosecuting people, adjust your business model to meet the needs of the 21st century consumer, and provide a good product. Otherwise, these pirating sites will keep popping up, and there is no way that the legal system can keep up with them.