Could a virus save us?

Could a computer virus save whats left of our free society?

no....probably not. But a computer virus could be a hefty wrench in the proverbial gears of this onslaught of corporate funded and government backed legislation that is currently destroying the technology field.

The current implementation of intellectual property law caters exclusively to the rich. Fair use and public domain have been essentially written out of the picture with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act and other such legislation. My solution for copyright infringement lawsuits and other fun technology problems is simple:
An open source, cross-platform, self-replicating computer virus. This virus would have one purpose and one purpose only: to download a random file from a random P2p net. Everyone with the virus now has plausible deniablilty. The entire P2p lawsuit game would end overnight, atleast until the **AA could buy some new legislation.

Some criteria would need to be met for this to work:

• The virus needs to be self-replicating - If the user has to download the virus then plausible deniability is alot harder to argue. The user has to look like the victim (and rightfully so)

• The virus should cause no damage to the users file system, and should systematically figure out the best time to steal a file as to not impede the users current operations :).
  

• Cross platform. C'mon - gotta let the Linux and mac guys in on the fun as well

• The virus cannot keep logs of its operations, in case the RI/MPAA's decide to play hardball and look at the systems on a case by case basis. In other words, there should be no way to differentiate between files downloaded by the user and files downloaded by the virus

• The virus will need to upload, atleast once, everything it downloads. this sounds scary, but bear in mind if the virus only downloads, the it is worthless. (RI/MPAA's don't go after leachers, they go after people who upload. this is about muddying the waters)

The scary thing is that if the plausible deniability angle works, I think we're going to see a federal law against "knowingly operating a computer with a virus". But that should be expected - Those in power don't care about you unless your name ends in "Inc."


As i don't believe in copyright law, I shall practice what i preach and release the above work in the public domain. Do what you want with it, I don't care.

The above was a work of fiction, for educational and entertainment purposes only. It was not intended to influence the actions of another human being. I take no responsibility for anything anyone does with it...ever. In fact, I made it all up. I don't even understand computers or the internet, although Ted Stevens did help clear some things up for me (Tubes and trucks, Imagine that). I think that Microsoft invented the computer. I think the internet and the World Wide Web are synonymous. I think that legally downloading music is awesome. I support the war on drugs, the war on terror, illegal wiretaps and the entire Neocon agenda. Praise Jesus.