Parmy Olson:
>Why does that $25 matter? Because Apple is reportedly splitting that money with copyright holders, many of whom have lost out on potential revenue because so many are downloading songs from bittorrent sites like The Pirate Bay. Some say this means Apple is not only legitimizing pirated music, it’s monetizing it too. Needless to say, the folks at the IFPI (International Federation of the Phonographic Industry) which represents the recording industry worldwide, really like iTunes Match.
It’s a great point and likely how Apple was able to convince the music labels to be OK with this arrangement. I don’t get the arguments that she cites against the service. Sure this “locks” you into Apple’s clutches, but it’s not like you can’t leave or stop paying — you can you just lose out on lower quality stolen music. I also don’t get the irrational fear that Apple may one day not allow your stolen music — that seems like the risk you take when you steal.