Technology and Political Economy Lab Exercise

1. Peer-to-peer technology makes illegal file sharing easy. Also, such software allows people to access items that would normally be expensive to buy without cost. The widespread use of P2P technology makes prosecuting all who engage in such piracy very difficult.

2. To regulate the use of illegal file sharing, "The RIAA has also stated that it "chose who to sue by using software that scans users' publicly available P2P directories and then identified the ISP [Internet service provider] of each user.""

3. The DMCA must regulate P2P technology before the P2P technology gets out of hand and becomes a problem too difficult to control. I see P2P technology as subordinate to the DMCA and think that it mustfollow the legal guidlines of the DMCA.

4. The transformation from quantity to quality concerning file sharing is a law played out by the DMCA who pushes the move towards quality. The unity of opposites law comes from the opposite goals of the DMCA and P2P technology, each are working to achieve different things. And thesis-antithesis-synthesis comes from the DMCA wishing to stop illegal file sharing and copyright infringement and the the P2P survives from such file sharing so it is considered the antithesis, but the prosecution of the illegal file sharers and the regulations that the DMCA are trying to enforce represent the synthesis in this case.

5. I agree with the regulations set by TAMU and the DMCA. Illegal file sharing should not take place on campus. TAMU will lose money if they are sued for infringing copyright laws. If Texas A&M begins to lose a significant amount of money, the loss will rbe reflected in the rising cost of tuition and fees students pay each semester.

6. The DMCA reflects the interest and protects artists and designers of games and software because it works to keep their ideas/creations from being exported and abused. Such artists must make a living and it is unfair and unethical for their work to be ripped off. I dont think that the DMCA is disregarding the interests of others, they are simply setting down rules that stop the unethical practice of illegal file sharing.

7. I realize that it is difficult to regulate peer-to-peer technology, but I woud prosecute and find people who drastically violate the laws by file sharing in huge amounts. I would prosecute on a basis of worst offenders first and go down the line. Also, I would work to shutdon the major outlets which help make file shareing possible such as Kazaa and Limewire.

-Kallie Gallagher (10-2-07)