Spoofing P2P Networks as Marketing Plot

prostoalex writes "Salon's technology section talks about major music labels spoofing the peer-to-peer networks. The users of AudioGalaxy, Gnutella or KaZaa have probably seen a surge of fake MP3 files when conducting a search on a popular title. The MP3 looks legit, but contains a 20 second clip played over and over. Such promotional tracks were especially popular with newest releases, such as Eminem and No Doubt, as pointed out in the article. Who posted the fake tracks to the p2p networks? Could it be, as Salon suggests, a suburban mom, who does not agree with controversial lyrics, or would it be the label, trying to prevent piracy and promote the new album at the same time?"

Repeating Tracks

[RAzaRazor]

I have downloaded files in the past where the content repeated itself. It's interesting though because
I have downloaded files in the past where the content repeated itself. It's interesting though because
I have downloaded files in the past where the content repeated itself. It's interesting though because

To view the rest of this comment for only $4.95, visit http://www.riaa.org

It's a Slashdotter

[Anonymous Coward]

Posting to support their own conspiracy theories and get their stories on /.

about that No Doubt mp3...

[zenintrude]

you thought it was just 20 seconds repeated over and over, but that's actually the real song...

hey baby, hey baby, hey!

hey baby, hey baby, hey!

Re:More than likeley it's just 1/2 downloads

[RAzaRazor]

Quote: I have about 1/2 a gig of what I call 1/2 mp3's that I got from people cancelling me out in the middle of a download. Yes they are shared, no i'm not doing it to screw with you. It's just that i'm too lazy to go through my share folder to clean them out.

So why not just delete the files when you come across them?

Oh, also too lazy to listen to the music you download? Why didn't you say so?

You must be one of those people who download stuff for your "Collection" because it's the size that matters, not what you do with it!

oh really...

[paradesign]

and i thought they were just boring repetitive songs, you know, like the ones they play on the radio too. i think the RIAA is to blame for those as well.

Fake?

[dr_dank]

Who posted the fake tracks to the p2p networks?

Fake music? Theres [britneyspears.com] no [backstreetboys.com] such [nsync.com] thing! [98degrees.com]

Re:Good to see

[gregfortune]

It's a sign that the music labels are going to try to deal with the P2P phenomenon on its own terms, not in the courts.

I totally agree and I can't believe how long it took them to finally figure this one out. I got a whole bunch of Scorpian King adverts instead of a movie I was trying to grab. Pretty effective stuff, I must say. My next search was "Scorpian King avi" ;o)

Not legit?

[Anonymous Coward]

"The MP3 looks legit, but contains a 20 second clip played over and over."

That's not spoofing...it's called "techno."

-1 Redundant

[Subcarrier]

The MP3 looks legit, but contains a 20 second clip played over and over

Time to put the /. moderation system into the P2P clients.

Re:The real question is...

[PepsiProgrammer]

So this explains why 'Who let the dogs out' sucked so bad when i downloaded it, surprisingly after months of trying, I still cant seem to find a legitimate, nonrepeating copy. The RIAA must be pretty serious about all this

Terrorists!

[SaturnTim]

CAn we accuse the recording industry of being terrorists now? They are attacking the internet. They are trying to bring down a computer network by inserting "trojan horses" of false data into them. Shouldn't this be prevented under the DMCA or something?

Oh, and last time I checked, it's not legal to break the law just because the other people are "bad". ;)

--ST

Re:about that No Doubt mp3...

[Anonymous Coward]

You thought it was just 20 comments posted over and over, but it was actually slashdot!

FUD MS DCMA Hollings Beowulf GPL GNU/Linux CowboyNeal MPAA RIAA Cases Trolls Copyright Lawsuits Spam Free as in...
FUD MS DCMA Hollings Beowulf GPL GNU/Linux CowboyNeal MPAA RIAA Cases Trolls Copyright Lawsuits Spam Free as in...

;-) 3

Corky Romano

[dman123]

True story...

I'm at the video store the other day and start browsing over at the beginning of the New Release section. A man says to his (wife?), "What about Ali?" A woman perfectly fitting the stereotype of trailer trash responds with, "No I hear that's pretty stupid. I mean all it is is some guy who... Hey! They have Corky Romano!!"

I almost wet my pants laughing and had to run away before they heard me laughing at their expense.

Nothing new!

[zulux]

I've been spoofing a real Slashdot poster for the last two years - as long as the checks come in, I recommend Windows XP - with .NET technology!

Re:about that No Doubt mp3...

[Hydrogenoid]

And the whole Art of Fugue is even worse... Not a single word in it...
Bach must be have been a really bad composer...

Re:Subliminal?

[GrandCow]

I'd find it even more clever if they put subliminal messages in the repeated tracks. Way to use technology against people to do your evil bidding ;-)

Yvan eht nioj...
Yvan eht nioj...
Yvan eht nioj...
Yvan eht nioj...

Re:Interesting...

[Bouncings]

"more speech is the best solution to bad speech" isn't a new idea either. With politicans don't have any really profound ideas, why do they always run MORE ads on TV and radio to drown out the compeditors?

Personally I think a good solution to the RIAA/MPAA problem is something like the Internet 3. The Internet2 [internet2.edu] is non-commercial. But maybe we could create an Internet 3. Similar to the "No-Homors Club" on The Simpsons, we could have the "NO-RIAA/MPAA Club" -- where in order to get online, you have to sign a "license agreement" where you state that you aren't from the MPAA or RIAA. Therefor, in order to sue you, the RIAA would have in fact had to break a contract. "By clicking here, you agree to release all your copyrights and promise to spit at Jack Valenti"

... I can dream, can't I?

Re:The music industry finally has the right idea.

[Kanasta]

Actually, wouldn't this be a perfect opportunity to raid the RIAA HQ for 'pirates'?

Since they've told us everything that's on p2p is illegal, I think this counts as organised crime!

Re:Subliminal?

[LinuxHam]

John is so smart.
John is so funny.

Re:More than likeley it's just 1/2 downloads

[eracerblue]

rubbish. it has nothing to do with size.

you know very well that each and every one of those incomplete "no doubt - hey baby hey baby hey" mp3s DIRECTLY EQUATES to lost revenue from sales of cd singles. you know very well that cd singles can cost as much as $10 a pop. so, that's a $100 pirated right there.

multiply that by the 100's if not 1000's of songs on your computer and that value grows to as much as $100,000.

multiply THAT by the millions and millions of poeple STEALING this music around the world, and this problem is brought into perspective.

we must stop these insideous crimes. we must bring to justice these CRIMINALS with the harshest punishments and fines imaginable... and put the money where it belongs: in the big fat record exec's offshore bank accounts.

sigh.