The New York Times posted a story about a police office who participated in online chats about raping and cannibalizing women, including his wife. The story is horrific because it reminds you what depraved thoughts we as humans may have toward one another and that these thoughts are being expressed online everyday.

Fortunately the women discussed in these chat rooms were not harmed so the prosecution may have a hard time showing that thinking and talking about it was a crime. There was plenty of malice but no bodily injury or harm.

My question is, what would be the difference between a horror movie writer like Stephen King or Rob Zombie sitting in on an online chat discussing different more macabre ways to scare their audiences? Would the notion that the discussion is being held merely for artistic purposes be enough to distinguish the two conversations?

If not, then this police officer might get off. If so, then the Internet might be subjected to a different level of scrutiny.

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski shared the following yesterday:

Today, the FCC issued a Public Notice seeking comment on concerns and issues related to intentional
interruptions of wireless service by government authorities for the purpose of ensuring public safety.

FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski said:

“Our democracy, our society, and our safety all require communications networks that are available and
open. Any interruption of wireless services raises serious legal and policy issues, and must meet a very
high bar. The FCC, as the agency with oversight of our communications networks, is committed to
preserving their availability and openness, and to harnessing communications technologies to protect the public.”

Honestly never heard of Megaupload before this news broke. Their services remind me of those lockers you see at airports and bus stations. You rent a box and the box owner probably warns you up front not to put anything in there that you wouldn’t want seen on the evening news.

Megaupload could probably claim that it did not know that copyright material was being uploaded and downloaded, but that would be a bit naïve on their part, especially since their technology was replacing an older, less efficient file sharing technology. The “I didn’t know” argument may not hold up against the prosecution’s argument of willful blindness, however. Time for their attorneys to take a look at the Pentalpha and Grokster cases for further guidance on litigation strategy or better yet, guidance on a settlement. Not only won’t willful blindness hold, but their file sharing business model may have induced more consumers to infringe on copyrights.

Fortunately these guys aren’t a public company or else investors would be seeing shares tank.

The Wall Street Journal reported last Saturday about President Obama’s discomfort with the Stop Online Piracy Act. Seems even if it passes Congress, Mr. Obama will veto it.

Is the Obama Administration saying it’s more concerned about protecting content delivered by rogue web sites? If what is currently on the books was effective against infringement on American copyrights, would this legislation have been brought forward? What alternative legislation has the Obama Administration offered?

Sounds like Expedia, Nextag, and Yelp need to create their own version of “Mad Men.” According to The Wall Street Journal, the companies will be on Capitol Hill today ganging up on Google, and making their case that the Internet’s biggest search engine unfairly diverts search engine consumers to its online properties while forcing Expedia, Nextag, and Yelp below the consumers eyeball levels.

Sometimes I believe these companies are so locked into “the cloud” that they are oblivious to the rest of their environment. Rather than seeking out innovative methods of competing, the allegedly sophisticated companies would rather have the government intervene thus making a competitive market look more like a regulated utility industry.

Forcing a middleman like Google to behave the way you want them to is a waste, and I don’t see how government intervention is going to aid competition. Competitors are not guaranteed survival.

Rather than look at Google primarily like a competitor, these companies, and the government, should look at Google like Whole Foods. If you want a higher eyeball level, pay a higher shelf fee.

In addition, whatever happened to going directly to the consumer. If Expedia, Nextag, and Yelp value their services that much, maybe it’s time for them to do some more old fashioned face time with the hotels and airlines.