G8 High on Plan to Scan iPods for Illegal Content in Airports

For most music fans that download their tunes from illegal sources, once than mp3 hits the iPod or laptop all is deemed 'free' and clear. That comfy feeling might be pretty 'flighty' in the near future; the world's most powerful governments are exploring the idea of scanning music devices, cell phones, and computers for non-copyrighted material in airports.

The measure is just one of many considered by G8 government officials last week. Each form part of a broader international agreement between them all on putting the kibosh on piracy. The G8 way of thinking matches that of the European Parliament, which is reportedly considering legislation that would hold Internet Service Providers (ISPs) responsible if their users download illegal content.

There's still very little known about the contents of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) being thought over by G8 nations. A brief mention of the vague plan of action was made in the organization's "Declaration on the World Economy" last week. It went a little something like this: "Effective promotion and protection of Intellectual Property Rights are critical to the development of creative products, technologies and economies." (Source: telegraph.co.uk)

That kind of sentiment isn't particularly new; what is new, however, is the threat to downloaders posed by collective, tangible concepts from the world's eight most powerful nations in pursuit of rooting out piracy. That being said, previous measures to stamp out ripping off music have been pretty pathetic (including the Record Industry Association of America's prosecution of a single mother last year).

Already speculation is being made that this could mark the first time since the RIAA bludgeoned Napster a few years ago that government puts some weight behind attempts to hack the heads of the great online piracy hydra. Of course, the ball game has changed much since Napster (and then Kazaa) ruled the music landscape -- Torrents have taken over in popularity, and by clouding the line between legal and illegal, it may prove difficult to take them, or stunned flyers, down. (Source: guardian.co.uk)