Lab Section Exercise: Technology and Political Econom

1) The challenges P2P technology bring to copyright protection on the internet are that individuals are illegally downloading music, games, movies, and software which are copyrighted by law. When they download any of these applications they are also opening a file share which they may not be aware of. By downloading and file sharing with out the copyright owners permission they are breaking the law and could receive a big fine or even jail time.

2) The DMCA's job is to sit around and check for people illegally downloading copyright information. When they find out if people are illegally downloading or file sharing they find out your IP address and your internet carrier and prosecute you. If you are prosecuted you can receive up to 3 yrs in prison and a fine up to $250,000.

3) With technology being the substructure will allow more people to explore the Internet. When they do this is may have a bigger impact on who illegally downloads and file shares which will determine the fines and penalties given by the superstructure DMCA. So the cause of one will be the effect of the other.

4) I think the 3 laws of dialectics do play a relationship between P2P technology and DMCA, because they are opposites. P2P is illegal and it is wrong but the DMCA is the organization out to stop the P2P from happening. The transformation from quantity to quality will have the DMCA knock down all the P2P users to lower the quantity and make the quality of the internet better. Finally the thesis- antithesis-synthesis could be how the DMCA planned to stop P2P sharing and how it is working, so in some ways they all are in common with the two.

5) The DMCA and TAMU have a very good relationship. The DMCA notifies TAMU of whats going on in the campus. I think its very good that TAMU cracks down on violators to help out with the DMCA. I think that if students are using TAMU computers to use it for illegal use, they should be in trouble by the University and DMCA. DMCA and TAMU are defiantly pulling the side of the copyright holder which is the way it should be, because its their work that can be purchased and TAMU is stopping people from stealing from them which fits the guide of the Aggie Code of Honor.

6) The DMCA interests are in protecting peoples work that is copyrighted on the internet from thieves. By cracking down hard on people breaking the law and not let anyone go this will help protect their interest and will defiantly show what they represent. It will get other peoples interest by getting fined if they are illegally using the computer or it will make the artists or publishers happy by doing this.

7) I would fine every user of P2P, and crack down on them hard so that no one will illegally download artists hard work. This will help the artists earn their pay check and it will teach people not to take whats no theirs because they would not like it if people where taking their pay check from them.

Ryan Cochrane