Youtube

I like youtube...for the most part. A while back, I linked a bunch of youtube vids to this blog - found over to the right. However, since then, I have gone back and looked and a lot of my linked vids are no longer available on youtube. This is mostly due to copyright lawsuits.

If you read my economic posts, you will probably figure out that I am basically in agreement with this. Say a movie company makes a movie. Someone - the movie company, the actors, etc. actually 'own' the product. Not just anyone can then 'broadcast' this product. The production company has invested its money, as well as the time and talents of its workforce in the production. The actors have invested their time and talents. These are the people who whould reap the financial reward, if any, from the viewing of the product. They have taken the risk of their time and money - they get any reward. They - someone in this chain anyway - own the rights to broadcast the piece when and where they choose.

Now, if someone, without permission, 'broadcasts' snippets from the movie on a site like Youtube, they are doing something they have no legal right to do. I guess I also have no legal right, therefore, to link to the youtube post so that my millions and millions of readers can see the snippet. Often then, when someone posts a two minute segment they find funny or meaningful on Youtube, sooner or later the owners of the piece file against youtube and have it removed. All well and good. Philosophically I do not have a problem with their petitioning at all.

However, I tend to think it possibly a bit unwise. Watching a two minute segment on Youtube will not prevent anyone from spending the money on the product. It might actually encourage it. Watch a two or three minute segment and think its funny and you might actually go rent the movie. You might even come across a movie you were unfamiliar with before, then go watch it. Actually, rather than gripe to Youtube to have the snippets of their work removed, the production companies need to right Youtube a thank you letter. Really, what it is, is FREE ADVERTISING! Then, when I link it to MY blog, its even more free advertising. You, my loyal millions of readers, might actually go rent a movie, or by a CD, or something because of a link on my blog. Why do you think every small time rock band or filmmaker in the world posts their work for free on Youtube or other web based sites? It gives them a chance at a sale!! Just see my own kids stuff on there!

At any rate, I just removed about half the links I had to Youtube because they were no longer available. Bummer. You guys, the millions of followers of the Groaning Philosopher are the real losers in all this!!

Interesting little blurb about the Census questionairre I found at the Ludwig von Mises Institute website.

http://blog.mises.org/archives/008233.asp