Cortland Klein

Not only is P2P technology capaple of significant non-infringing uses, more importantly, it is also capable of commercially significant (read: profitable) uses.

The same ‘viral’ technology that quickly distributes media to an infinite audience for free can be used as a no cost distribution system. This means less expenses on distribution, thus reducing the wholesale cost of media sales.

And how does one sell media using a P2P distribution infrastructure? Here are some ideas:

• Pay-per-torrent: While not directly tied to BitTorrent, the idea here is that the customer pays some money to the media seller, and in return gets access to the media, even if that access is through a decentralized/P2P system. Various techniques, such as authenticated BitTorrent trackers or an encrypted media file, can be used to restrict access to only purchasers.
• Advertisments on Tracker site: If it works for Grokster et al, why wouldn’t it work for the media publishers? People will tend to get the media through the official site if available, thus it’s a perfect way for advertisers to reach them.
• Advertisments in the media: Tried and true, place some advertisments right in the media. It worked in broadcast media, it’ll work here too.

Sure, people could still commit copyright infringment, but I would imagine the majority of people would simply do the right thing because it would be so simple.

All the technologies in the past have proved commercially significant, so will P2P, provided it get’s a chance to survive here. Let’s hope it does; it will be awesomet to see media owners profit from decentralized technologies.