Ten years ago Shawn Fanning started writing a piece of software that would enable the easy copying and distribution of MP3s, his creation went on to become famously known as Napster. Within a year of its launch it reaching a peak user base of over 26 million, many were attracted to it by the legal proceedings brought against the service. Metallica, Dr. Dre, A&M Records and RIAA all brought suit against the service citing copyright infringement. The legal actions won out and by July 2001 the entire Napster network was shutdown. An attempt to shift Napster into a legal business model never made it to market. A lot/nothing has changed since then.

Shawn Fanning went on to be involved in Snocap which is currently used by MySpace to distribute music. The Napster brand is now owned by American music distributor BestBuy. Though neither has ever reached the level of notoriety previously attained.

Shawn Fanning contemplates another day spent in court

Instead, we now have iTunes, with over 65 million customers, Beatport, Turntable Lab, BoomKat and the list goes on. All clear indications that music can be made available online and still be good for business. That said file-sharing continues regardless of what many copyright authorities and Music/Entertainment Corporations attempt.

Most recently several of the founders of the Sweden based file-sharing site The Pirate Bay were jailed for their part in facilitating copyright infringement. Subsequently the political PirateParty received a massive support boost, sufficient in fact to elect 1, potentially 2, MEPs in the recent European elections.

The legal battles rumble on with laws, and dodgy agreements, starting to appear in a lot of countries perhaps sounding the first death knell of internet neutrality?