This phrase has sadly taken on a very literal meaning of late. The FBI has shut down Megaupload a fairly significant file sharing site that probably 95% of people who use the internet have probably accessed at one point or another. Now I don’t know if the FBI has changed it’s overall job description, perhaps it’s had a revamp of the whole mission statement or maybe there’s just no accolades anymore for thwarting bomb plots, serial killers or investigating drug trafficking rings.

I know, maybe there’s too many people NOT going out and getting drunk and disorderly, trying to deal drugs, run black market organ deals or driving drunk, running arms for various gangs because they’re too addicted to their internet! The FBI has run out of things to do except for investigating possible copyright violations when that 10 year old girl begs her Mum to upload her dance recital piece containing *gasp, shock, horror* a commercially released song! It’s quite baffling until you start thinking where does the money come from? To pay for the FBI. The government right? All right the taxes yes? Who decides where those taxes go, how they’re divided up because those damn schools and that pesky health system insists on a cut. The CEO level types (aka the 1%) of major film, tv and music industry wouldn’t have any say or sway on that right? Nah. Surely not….that could be a conflict of interest.

These 1% involved in these industries are idiots. If they are supporting organisations like the FBI to investigate (over several years using millions of dollars to do so) websites like Megaupload they are essentially robbing themselves of sales ultimately. Taking down Megaupload will result in LESS sales of TV, Music and Film. And that’s a fact. Every purchase I have made in the last five years was all of a result of something I have sampled free online. Just the other day I spent 90 dollars on TV DVDs. Why when I can just download these episodes or watch them on Youtube? Because enough online people (whose opinions I respect) have posted clips, have posted reviews, have said GO WATCH! Go READ! Go LISTEN! I would never have spent the money I have spent on CDs, Books and DVDs if not for sharing on the internet. So why get rid of that? Seems a little short sighted in the end.