Intellectual property: A conundrum

So now here we are in the information age where information travels with great precision. In these times the various States have established legislation to quell "intellectual theft" (my words). I bring this up in regards to to a news article in regards to a subpoena brought against YouTube by Fox. According to the story, Fox media has demanded You tube to reveal the identity of "ECOtotal". Apparently, this user showed episodes of 24 before the scheduled premiere on January 14 on YouTube.

Now looking at the case I have a conflicting view on the case itself and not on the whole quandary of intellectual property. Now if it is an absolute fact that this user was able to confiscate episodes of 24 before airing, then I have to concede to the side of FOX. Reason being, the person took the video before it would have been aired to all of the TV audiences. Im under the impression that FOX had the video under safe keeping.

Now if it was shown onYouTube after the episode was aired, then I have to be on the side of the user ECOtotal. Intellectual property is a very touchy subject. Ill say this, intellectual property is a mundane term with no real substance. Property itself is an extension of a person on to anything that was A) Formed and manipulated from unused matter, B) Contractually given by someone down the line that followed A), and/0r C) A once used item that has been clearly abandoned. Ill digress and say that C can be very tricky to pinpoint, unless under objective circumstances. That will be another topic for discussion.

When you form sounds or vision, you in a sense release your property on anyone that takes it in mentally. Now one can argue that words, sounds, or vision is the product of labor and should not be taken by anyone, but when you openly state them in time, presence, motion, all those variables, you are letting everyone get a sense of your product. Since it can be processed naturally through the senses, then it becomes everyones property. A person can get a glance at a house but cannot objectively claim the house as its own. Someone can look at a computer but it doesn't mean its there property. When I buy a book, lets say from Stephen King, that book is contractually mine and the words are at my disposal.

For more on that here is a good link to learn from.


By the way, use any of my texts and writing in any way you see fashionable. That's what its here for anyways.