French Judge OK with File Swapping

"We are in the process of creating a cultural rupture between a younger generation that uses the technologies that companies and societies have made available, such as the iPod, file download software, peer-to-peer networks, etc.," Judge Dominique Barella told Wired News. "It's like condemning people for driving too fast after selling them cars that go 250 kmh."

Judge Dominique Barella is the president of the French magistrates, and he's starting to openly challenge the copyright laws being used to enforce the clamp down against global piracy as seen by the RIAA and MPAA. France isn't the only country challenging the push by mostly American conglomerates -- Canadian judges are also questioning the media industry's use of copyright laws to punish fileswappers.

When you think about it, Barella does have a point. The technology and media companies sleep in the same bed and have breakfast in the morning at the same table -- yet, one creates the technology that facilitates piracy -- MP3 players -- and the other, creates the content and then beats the consumers when they put the two together -- they were made for each other. Think of Sony. Sony the technology company and Sony the media company. Sony sells the number of digital music players because of the availability of free music online.