"Some of the world's largest record labels are quietly financing the creation of programs by small software firms that, if deployed, would sabotage the computers and Internet connections of people who download pirated music, according to a published report.
Citing industry executives, The New York Times reported in an article that appeared on its Web site on Saturday, that the efforts bear varying degrees of legality including attacking a computer's Internet connection to slow or halt downloads and overwhelming distribution networks with programs that masquerade as music files."
The chaff server idea's been around for a while and used with varying degrees of success. I'd consider it more annoying than illegal. But sabotaging a user's Internet connection? Vigilante justice at its worst. Are the music companies spending any money on trying to actually profit from an alternate (digital not CD) distribution model? Or are they spinning all their wheels on quasi-illegal plans for strike back? See previous post for more on where digital distrbution is going.
Posted by Diana at May 5, 2003 01:46 PM