EMI Vice President comes out against SOPA and ACTA

The VP of EMI’s Urban Promotions says that the best way to tackle piracy is not to introduce bills like ACTA or SOPA – but to simply provide better service.

THE VICE PRESIDENT of major record label EMI’s Urban Promotions has come out against bills like SOPA and ACTA, saying that the best way to tackle piracy is not to introduce legislation – but to simply provide better service.

In a Q&A session on Reddit, Craig Davis was asked about his views on acts like SOPA/PIPA/ACTA, to which he replied:

Personally, I feel that the method they’re using is incorrect. All it will do will cause headaches and issues for everyone.

However, I do believe that a person should be compensated for their work. I feel that piracy is a big issue, and things like Spotify will assist in combating this problem.

Gabe Newell is correct, it’s a service issue not an issue of money. Sales have gone up from sales concerts and merchandise, it’s obvious that our fans still love music. We’re just not giving them their music in an easier way.

Gave Newell, mentioned by Davis, is the co-founder and managing director of Valve Software, a video game development and online distribution company. Newell has frequently stated that the only way to properly compete with piracy is to offer better service – even going so far as to say that “pirates are underserved customers”, reports TechDirt.com.

Tomorrow, Ireland is set to sign the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) – a controversial international agreement which promises a major international crackdown on the trade of counterfeit goods and illegal internet filesharing.

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