Adapt or Die: Guest Blogger takes a look at Turkey’s new law on downloading music and movies

So let me get this straight. Turkey is going to allow corporations from other parts of the world to go into your computer and snoop around to see if you have downloaded any music or movies.  Meanwhile the options to buy music and DVDs are very limited and expensive here. Hey, I would love to purchase music here in Turkey from iTunes, Amazon or even have access to Netflix.  But for some reason, Turkey doesn’t allow that!  So what other options do we have?

Now, if some big Hollywood corporation sees someone downloading something, they can sue. Yet I don’t even have the option of buying it legally. Does this make any sense to you?

Another side to this is governments and corporations are telling us that because of hard times, they have to work longer hours for less money.  What do they think the rest of us are doing?  If a plant closes down or your job becomes obsolete you MUST learn a new trade. The mantra is adapt or die!!!!

But not for Hollywood they don’t need to do anything. They don’t want to take another look at their plan and possibly realize this it is not working anymore. NOPE.  They just go out and sue everyone. They have the money and they have all the power.

The sad thing is the number of people the music business and the movie industry has F**ked over through the years. You think it’s the artists making all the money? Most artists go into debt when they sign their first contract and if they don’t make it big, that debt sticks.

In addition, the manufacturing of CDs is done in sweat shops overseas where people are getting paid nothing. I would rather just pay my money right to the artist, the one who created the music. They are the ones that get the lowest cut.

Hollywood is shitting right now due to things like the internet and YouTube. There’s a major shift – the people are now taking control.  And that frightens a lot of people – not just the people in the industry.

Read about Turkey’s new law by clicking here.

About the Author:

This piece is written by a multi-talented blogger: a singer-songwriter and film maker who is into politics.  He wishes to remain anonymous.  It is an interesting opinion, especially since he would be directly negatively affected by illegal downloads.  But Turkey’s new law has caused him to take a stance.

I also want to see the artists protected and illegal downloading banned, with additional reasoning.  Many international copyright laws appear to protect big business, not the artists.  I understand.  Believe me.  But it raises questions of equality and fairness.  Is this another form of censorship?  Is it violating personal rights?  (Getting caught downloading is valid.  But searching through computers without cause seems questionable.) Is it a way of protecting a country’s culture?

There are a lot of issues involved.  But should who is getting the biggest piece of the pie be the major concern?  The answer is simple: it should be the artist! My suggestion?  Lower the taxes, allow imports at lower fees.  Make some money, but remember the creators of the works.  Doubtless Amazon and iTunes would love to have a presence in Turkey.  But it has to be an economically feasible and viable option.  I have worked on an international class action suit that would protect similar rights of authors against the likes of the giant Google.  I understand.  Believe me.  But I beg for the doors to be opened.  It’s one world.  Let peace start here and protect the artist!