A pair of economists have released a report arguing that file-sharing doesn’t stifle the creation of music, films, and books. On the contrary, they say, weaker copyright protection has benefited society.
Felix Oberholzer-Gee of Harvard University and Koleman Strumpf of the University of Kansas recently published a working paper (that is, a complete draft of a work-in-progress study soliciting feedback) to Harvard Business School asserting the benefits of internet piracy.
While the study concedes that piracy may harm some business models, it says the technology hasn’t killed the incentives behind artists and entertainment companies to produce new works.
And that, the paper says, is the real point behind copyright.

Get the whole article at TheRegister.co.uk – you’ll find a copy of the working paper over there, too.