"Two decades ago, when the famous Betamax case set a precedent that protected the VCR, it was consumers versus the studios and record labels. But now there's an equally important third party: the creative amateurs - people like you and me who not only consume but also produce content. And they're on the side of Grokster and the extraordinary power of the new distribution networks," writes Wired's Chris Anderson, here.
"As anyone who's played with the software now shipped with any new PC or Mac knows, the same tools that allow you easily to copy and share music and video also allow you to make your own. As a result, we're seeing the rise of a peer-production generation, such as teenagers using Apple's GarageBand to create or remix their own music, and snowboarders distributing highlight videos of their tricks to, yes, bloggers like me."
The piece concludes:
The Supreme Court should recognize that there is a silent majority in this case, made up not of pirates or the pop stars but the millions of individual talents who risk getting caught in the crossfire.
