Harvey, you said "I've heard all the arguements rehearsed in the name of freedom that are posted above..." There aren't any that I can see above. If you thought that's what I was saying, you've misunderstood.

I think people who download the music should pay - not everybody.
This would be like everyone who walked down the street where the shoemaker's shop was located having to give him money because they could have bought shoes. Whether they actually did or not would be irrelevant.

As to advertising faster download times, the ISP isn't advertising the product to be downloaded. The ISP provides access ONLY to what should be legal downloading, and it's not within their span of control to ensure it is legal. They can't control what you choose to download and they can't conrol what other people provide.

Why the ISP and not the phone companies that provide access to ISPs? (Some of us are still living in the dark ages of dial-up). Why not computer and modem manufacturers, because without computers and modems, we wouldn't be able to download music? What authority do ISPs have to control the downloading SOCAN seems to be saying they're responsible for? My guess is still that the ISPs are the most vulnerable target with the most money.