After receiving a court order requiring that it filter unauthorized file transfers, KaZaA predictably could not create the filter to meet the December 5 deadline. (Remember that the original Napster simply went out of business rather than even try to comply with a similar court order.) Instead, parent company Sharman Networks blocked downloads of its KaZaA program in Australia, and put a big, futile "DON'T USE" notice on the screens of existing users. This all bears about the same symbolic relation to reality as a Kabuki drama. First, KaZaA is pretty much off the radar of today's most aggressive and determined file-sharers. Second, nothing is stopping millions of existing KaZaA owners from sharing as always. Nothing can ever stop them. And for this gestural charade the music industry is actually investing time and resources.
