Post-SOPA: From censorship to propaganda

The music industry switches gears, post-SOPA, from censorship to propaganda. Throw in a bit of "jobs" fears and a dash of "terror" fears, and cook it up until you get a big, steaming pot of bullshit.

This column does have its good; the record industry and allies clearly are not giving up on passing something like SOPA, and spell this out. If you thought the drumbeats of PR propaganda were strong either before SOPA, or 15-plus years ago, with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, you probably ain't seen nothing yet.

At the same time, Cary Sherman and the RIAA are right in that the Googles of the world are upset in part because it's their ox that's being gored. If China, ironically, passed something similar to SOPA, Google would surely, after reflection (allowing for its China presence being via Hong Kong), acquiesce. For Google, Twitter, et al, their stances on this issue are also about money first, principles second.

It's too bad neither side will admit this; the more educated public already knows that anyway.