Entropy

A proposal by Jim Griffin is flying around the web, for broadband ISP’s to charge clients 5$ on behalf of the music industry, legalizing P2P music downloads.

“Both Wired and Ars Technica have reports on Jim Griffin’s proposal that ISPs charge each broadband customer $5 per month to subsidize the ailing music industry. The resulting fund would ostensibly ‘compensate songwriters, performers, publishers and music labels.’ Although no specific version of the proposal has been referenced, a number of controversies are inherent to the plan: How is the money really divided? What happens when the MPAA, the Business Software Alliance, and various other industry groups want their own surcharge added? What about the supposed majority of broadband customers who never download illegal music? Griffin discussed the plan further at SXSW . We’ve previously discussed a similar proposal from the Songwriters Association of Canada.

While I completely back this line of thinking; as P2P is a great way to distribute music as shown by NiN; I don’t see this working. Everyone will want a share, and it won’t be split correctly etc etc.