Quick, name a place where you can be in business without providing basic information like your name and address. Let’s see. Criminal organizations, corrupt nations, and the Internet. In a refreshing nod at sanity, the Florida legislature has passed a bill called the “True Origins of Digital Goods Act,” which now awaits signature by Governor Scott. Basically, if a site owner intends to sell, rent, or publicly provide music as a substantial portion of the content on his website, he’s going to have to provide … wait for it … contact information! I know. Draconian, right?
Well, Google (wait, I mean The Center for Democracy and Technology) has already responded to the proposed bill by saying it will threaten the value of anonymity on the Internet. To this, any thinking person’s response ought to be, “Uh, whatever.” Because of course in a free society it’s absolutely essential that a musician, a music blogger, or a music retailer maintain his anonymity. Because, y’know those roving mobs of atonal neo-fascists, who might storm the gates or something.
I’m having a hard time tracking the Internet industry on this stuff. They want transparency, they want anonymity. They want to promote exposure, they want to promote hiding in the shadows. One might almost get the idea they’re making this stuff up as they go along.
