Somiatruites, Ciberderechos en la Red

Kazaa es la red P2P que aglutina un mayor número de usuarios en Internet, Según algunos datos su software ha sido descargado más de 300 millons de veces y hay unos 60 millones usuarios activos (cuatro millones de ellos conectados en cualquier momento). Su CEO, Nikki Hemming, responde a una entrevista en USA Today, 'Kazaa CEO goes on the defensive' a cuestiones como si los servicios de música de pago podrán acabar con la red de Kazaa o si hay alguna posibilidad de acuerdo con las discográficas. No hay que olvidar que en Kazaa se vende música desde hace algunos meses.

Q: Let's play devil's advocate. The labels, who are suing Kazaa for copyright infringement, call you a "pirate." Why should they talk to you when so many people use your software to download songs instead of buying them?

A: We don't have the technical capability to stop that. What we can do is use our program to promote the content (people pay for). That sends a very strong message to consumers. Artists like Ice-T, Chuck D. and Russell Simmons are doing very well with us. The principle is now established that we can get consumers to buy. Imagine how many millions of artist dollars have been left on the table by the industry. The consumer has chosen peer-to-peer technology as their preferred method of obtaining content. I don't buy that everything about P2P is theft.


Q: The RIAA's hope is that people stop sharing songs on services like yours and ... go on to for-pay alternatives, such as Apple's iTunes Music Store. What happens to Kazaa if people do that?

A: The prospect of 60 million worldwide users stopping the use of technology they've been supporting for two years is a scenario that will never play out. Sharing content over the Net is a common thing, not just through us. Peer-to-peer is the most efficient way to share files. It's a normal thing to do. The core issue is consumer behavior, and whether 60 million users are criminals. I'd say that's just totally incorrect.