Universal Lawsuits

Have you noticed what Universal is up to these days. They've been getting "sue happy" over the lofty and worthwhile issue of copyright infringement. They targeted YouTube first, but then took a stake in the company ending that threat. Now, Universal is beating up on MySpace. They are apparently looking to test the "safe harbor" provision under existing law pertaining to Internet companies. Or are they? Many people -- and I'm certainly one of them -- believe no matter what your argument is on the copyright infringement issue, no one can stop the present generation from having their way with music. Don't shoot me! Young people see the Internet as sacred -- it belongs to them. They see both sides of the issue (stealing vs. free distribution). But this Universal tactic in the end might not be as principled as it seems. Their lawsuit against MySpace might just be to get their attention. You see, Universal and MySpace have reportedly been in negotiations. Apparently, Universal didn't like the numbers. Certainly Universal has a right to seek legal recourse on this issue just as MySpace has its defense. But anyone seeing Universal's move as a high-grounded, principled strategy might just want to take another look at the circumstances. Even the labels must know that they are spitting in the wind on this issue. All the more reason to suspect their motives in cases like this.