Here are some of the April Fool's news from the file-sharing universe. The scary thing is, that they are (or should be) all real alternatives, and each and every prank shows a solution to the current problems.
Lawrence Lessig joins RIAA board of directors
Lawrence Lessig, best known for his work promoting his Creative Commons foundation, announced today that he will join the Board of Directors of the Recording Industry Association of America. "We're pleased to welcome Professor Lessig into our cabal, er, uh, association" said RIAA head Cary Sherman.
R.I.A.A. Announces File Sharing Amnesty Program
The new program, christened "Files for Free HD Time", works like this: you go to a special website setup by the R.I.A.A. where you can upload any previously illegally downloaded files. In other words: give them back and avoid prosecution. Plus, for every 12 files you put back, you will be rewarded with certificates for 120 Free HD Radio minutes which can be used in any city where HD Radio is now operating.
"We're very excited about this new amnesty program and our lawyers are especially looking forward to filing much less litigation in the future," said spokesperson, April Furst.
To see how many files have already been returned or to return any illegally shared files you may have on your computer, visit the R.I.A.A. Amnesty Website.
The Big 4 will be disbanding all existing trade organizations and founding a single new organisation to be called Friends of the Labels which will work with p2p developers and independent artists to formulate 'fair use' practices and policies, and creative pricing and distribution structures.