I am all for creative people wanting to sell their wares, and to realize value from ‘net uses. I am fine with reasonable measures to protect this interest. I could write volumes on this, but let’s just take that as read.

Yet my first reaction when I read of this new infringement-tracking service is neither triumph nor dismay. Instead, I hold the ongoing belief that a sharing culture on the ‘net can and will provide ways for web users from the most humble weblogger to the cool-est Net 3.0 provider to find, use, and revel in attribution-only content. I don’t oppose artists making money–but I love the possibility in shared culture. I love in particular my belief that that indie culture will generate new shows, new icons and new content which users will get for free, or merely by enduring “in the margins” google-type advertising on the site.